A Dance With Fate
by Canopus Carina
Summary: 2007 They had sacrificed their childhood to the cause of the Light and survived. Yet some curse would take down the their main support, his best friend? 1977 Hogwarts employs a mysterious addition who teaches them much more than fighting the darkness.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own any rights to Harry Potter and do not make any money in the online publication of this fanfiction.

NOTE: This story is in third person but is following and coming from Remus' perspective. This story WILL NOT have the Marauders know about Harry's true identity. The purpose of this story is to see the student's growth, small but significant, throughout Harry's time there while he completes his task.

NOTE: This story is COMPLETED and will be posted every MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, and FRIDAY unless the web server goes down or I do not have access to a computer.

_Please enjoy._

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A Dance With Fate

_Canopus Carina_

Prologue

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Sunday: 24 July 1977 

Nothing was stranger than looking at a person almost identical to your best friend, who looked so haggard and lifeless. No matter how cheerful that friend may be, seeing what looked like them so dead just made you think. The boy had just appeared out of nowhere with a flash of light. And if they did not have their friend looking down on the boy right next to them, they would have believed him to be James Potter. That and the fact the boy in front of them did not have glasses, and had much shorter hair as their fellow Marauder had.

"What do we do with him? Peter asked, poking him with a stick. "He could be dangerous."

"He could be a follower of the Dark Lord!" Sirius exclaimed.

"Either way, we should ask your parents, James."

"Ever the voice of reason, Moony," James answered once he recovered from the shock, "Which is why Padfoot is going to get them."

"Prongs!" Sirius whined, "Why me? I want to stay with the Death Eater!"

Remus just shook his head, "First, he seems too young to be a Death Eater. You would need to have graduated from school for the Dark Lord to have any interest with you."

"Unless you were a dark creature!" Sirius blurted out, "no offense…"

"None taken," he answered, though the stiffness in his voice told otherwise. The incident between Snape and the Whomping Willow was still fresh in his mind. "And second, if he were a Death Eater, he might have been sent to get you."

"You should go, Padfoot," Peter added, "imagine going back to your parents again."

As he couldn't come up with a reason why to risk going back to his parents, Sirius finally left the group to inform the Potters of their unknown visitor. The boy was truly a sight to behold. Scars ran all down his arms and legs, a few even on his face where they would be harder to hide. Some new cuts would soon add to his collection, which still bled slowly. Wherever he came from, he wasn't much liked.

"We will take it from here boys." The self-proclaimed masters of mischief were quite surprised as they found it was their headmaster, Albus Dumbledore himself, who came to inspect the newcomer. "Why don't you run along now? Get ready for the new school year." The twinkle in his eye seemed to almost know they were coming up with the pranks of the year. He was pretty much giving them permission to wreak havoc on the school. But they also knew a dismissal when they heard one. The four boys left the adults to the mysterious boy. They did not try to listen into the adult's conversation, as they knew Dumbledore would use a silencing charm. And the Marauders had come with an unspoken rule that Dumbledore was off limits unless the twinkle in his eye dimmed and needed a little prank to boost his spirits.

"So what happened?" Peter asked excitedly. It wasn't common for the Headmaster to make house calls, no matter how prominent the family was.

"He was already there, talking to your parents, James, when I got there. And he just turned to me and said 'Oh, he's here already, a little earlier than expected.' And they rushed out."

"So he was supposed to be here," James reasoned, "rules out being a Death Eater, doesn't it?"

"Unless he is a spy," Peter stuttered.

They were interrupted in their speculations as Mrs. Potter called for dinner. And they couldn't just talk about a guest as if he were a Death Eater spy in front of an adult. They just wouldn't understand.

"Mum, who was that guy?"

"Oh, a close relative, a cousin. He just traveled a long way in such an uneasy state. Poor boy, almost splinched himself. You'll meet him once he wakes up again."

"What had happened to him?" Sirius asked. "He looked pretty beat up to have aparated here."

"It is not my place to say. And I want you all to promise me that you won't pester him with questions he isn't ready to answer. I want him to rest while he can, he has come to relax."

They could tell by her tone that the discussion was over and the curious Marauders were forced to survive off that. Dumbledore trusted this kid, so should they.

The next few days were spent as all others before it with no sign of the boy. The elder Potters were close lipped about who he was, other then being family, and what his purpose was. By overhearing some of the conversation on the mysterious person, they learned his name was Harry and would go with them to Hogwarts with them once the school year started. For the rest, they would simply have to wait for the boy to wake up.

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"_You can't go by your real name! If you are seen, it will change everything!"_

"_I can, and I will. What do you think will happen if I'm ever in Hogwarts and _they_ are there? One look at the map and I'll be figured out! Here, look at this."_

_She picked up the large book he passed to him, first reading the cover before turning to the page he had turned it to. "Your family book? Oh…"_

"_And now look at this." A sheet of paper changed hands._

UNITED STATES MINISTRY OF MAGIC RECORDS

SALEM DEPARTMENT

HOMICIDE REPORT

Name: Harold Christopher Potter

Guardians: Christopher Evan Potter (father), Cynthia Mary Richards Potter (mother)

DoD: Tuesday, 13 December 1977

Cause of Death: Killing Curse

Notes: Claimed to be prisoner of the dark followers of Lord Avarite for five months.

Noted added later- contradicted by British Ministry claiming in Hogwarts for five months until day before death. True story unclear.

"_Are you sure it's not you dying there instead of here?"_

"_They are a true person, a second cousin or something like that. I must have been one of the people."_

"_I hope for your case that it's the one in Hogwarts…" She trailed off uncertain. He didn't want her to have to worry, but the ceremony would take both of their magic to succeed so she couldn't go with him._

"_Which is why I have to keep my name."_

_The ceremony took up to twenty minutes of just spell casting, almost draining them of their magic. But they were determined to make this work, it had to. Without it, he would surely die for protecting his friend._

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End of Prologue – 1,095 words

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Posted: _18 May 2007_


	2. Chapter 1

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 1 of 20

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Monday: 1 August 1977

One glorious morning, about a week since this Harry Potter appeared out of nowhere, he was allowed out of his room. The scars and cuts from before seemed to have healed nicely to a point where they wouldn't see them unless they knew they were there. The same had been done to Remus numerous of times after a particularly difficult werewolf attack occurred. Harry walked cautiously out from behind the elder Potters, unknowing of the dangers a Marauder's household could contain. He took his time observing his surrounding, gauging certain similarities with sharp contrasts from his previous home. Or at least that was what he looked to be doing. What was odd, however, was when he took a deep, closed eyed breath before he even glanced at the other inhabitants of the room.

"James, don't just stand there, welcome your cousin!"

There was a long pause as James did not follow his mother's instructions.

"James!"

"It is okay, Aunt Rebecca, I do not need a formal introduction," the boy spoke calmly. There was a lack of scratched quality in his voice that made the rest of them assume he was actually awake partially before he was allowed out of the room. Remus knew Mrs. Potter was very protective of her charges, himself included if he visited right after a full moon, and felt slightly sympathetic for the boy. He was probably even lucky to leave the room after only a week, in the state he was when he first arrived.

"Hi, I'm Harry, just Harry if you would," the boy continued calmly as if he was used to the stares. But no one seemed to know what to say in return.

"Well, honestly boys," James' mother exclaimed, frustrated, "why don't you just introduce yourselves? He's completely harmless."

Remus couldn't tell why he felt differently, but the boy almost smirked at being called harmless. It wasn't a very good sign. But he would be hypocritical if he wanted to blame him for being slightly dark. He was a werewolf; surely Harry couldn't be worst than that. So he welcomed the boy himself, introduced everyone, and offered him a bowl for his own breakfast. If James was going to be silent for once in his life, he couldn't be opposite from his usual shy self and take the initiative.

"So, I take it you're not a Death Eater?" Sirius demanded, reseating right next to the newcomer and looping an arm around Harry, "or else they wouldn't allow you to stay here. It would be off to Azkaban for you! But that doesn't mean you don't have other secrets you want to keep from us. So what are they?"

"Isn't the point of a secret that no one else finds out about them?" Harry countered, not minding the blatant disregard for his privacy.

"Maybe you didn't catch from the introductions, but I'm Sirius Black," he paused to find any reaction to his name. There should have been something instead of just a patient stare. Everyone knew of the Blacks at least and their hand in the dark arts. But no reaction at all, just a look, "-white sheep of the Black family, purveyor of mischief. It is my job to know your secrets."

"Surely you have your own secrets you should be holding onto while you can. If you try to take on another person's, your own will be tumbling out of control." Again, instead of looking scandalized in the very least for such intrusion, Harry calmly stirred his cereal. A small smile graced his face as he started speaking again. "And believe me, I have too many to tell over a single breakfast."

Looks of confusion was spread throughout the room at the strange statement. Remus himself was trying to create logic from the statement. Would the secret searcher feel they needed to give a secret of their own therefore loosing a secret? Or did it mean they could forget to withhold certain information when getting in the mood of telling tales? Both, or even neither? He had smirked while being called harmless, could it be he would threaten them with danger to get something out of them? Somehow he couldn't see any of it happening, but determined to remain cautious. The mysterious Harry let the others speculate his previous statement in peace, softly crunching on cereal, but never let his eyes wander from the room's other inhabitants. It showed training in battle strategy: Know all opponents positions, no matter their current situation.

"Do we get to know why you are here?" Peter asked unsure due to the silence.

Harry turned his weary eyes to Peter where something peculiar happened. The rather guarded eyes flashed with several emotions in quick succession. "Maybe," he said mysteriously and continued on his cereal.

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It turned out that James didn't just have some random person popping out of no where who just happened to be his cousin. He was James' father's cousin's grandchild, which made him a second cousin once removed. And he had clearly inherited the male Potter looks, the tale-tell black hair that listened to no one and boyish face bone structure. They had met before, but when he was one or two years old, so long ago that Harry didn't remember him. He didn't know for sure, but Remus figured Harry was about sixteen, so that would probably make James about three. An age too young to remember meeting people as well. Perfectly understandable.

Even when they checked the Potter's family book, it proudly displayed _Harry Potter_ under _Christopher_ and _Cynthia Paol_ _Potter_. What disturbed them is that under his parent's names it stated that the three of them were in hiding, and after some research, they found that it was because of a blood feud between Cynthia's influential family ties and a German wizard family. Peculiar to say the least, but explainable in its own right. When asked where they were hiding, Harry simply said, "I can't tell you much, as it would ruin the whole point of being in hiding, but we primarily in America so I could go to school, but I had been traveling a lot in the past year."

But what they couldn't understand is why Harry would be attending Hogwarts with them come September 1st. No where in Hogwart's history had there ever been an exchange student or even a transfer student, and they couldn't think that the headmaster was crazy enough to break that tradition. No matter whom the person was. When they asked him, Harry could only shrug.

"Professor Dumbledore didn't really leave any room for negotiation," he answered at length, "but it would probably be better for me to be there other than somewhere else. It would the most resourceful place."

The others waited semi-patiently for him to continue and explain the hidden message behind it, primarily _why_ Hogwarts would be the best place to be. What resources could be hidden in the castle that this stranger would need to use? But Harry remained silent, opting to recline in his chair and stare into the fire that was alight close by. His eyes held such depth to them, holding many secrets, that Remus started to doubt his earlier assumption of Harry being sixteen. With such eyes, he looked about forty while his body had remained in his teen years. He couldn't hold back the question: "How old are you?"

"Just turned eighteen yesterday, actually," he answer softly, not turning from the flames. "Why do you ask?"

"No particular reason," Remus trailed off. The other Marauders turned to him questioningly, but now wasn't the time to get into detail on the peculiarities Harry held. It was hard to force his mind to recognize that the new boy was actually older than them, and not two years younger as he had first thought. He quickly categorized the information in the back of his mind for further consideration later as Harry finally turned to Remus with a raised eyebrow.

"You don't ask questions you don't mean," Harry argued with an amused look.

"We have just met," Sirius interrupted. "How could you know that about Remus already?"

Harry actually looked frightened for a second or two before that emotion vanished from his eyes and was replaced with the amused look again. "Just look at him, he seems the curious type. And the curious type ask important questions to get answers."

Remus didn't want to go down the dark road of how he had been too curious long ago which always came back to haunt him. He didn't want to think he could go back to being curious other than school related subjects and end up in dark trouble again. So he concentrated on masking his face with an aloof expression while he was analyzing Harry more closely.

Harry didn't refuse to answer any question, though seemed to answer with answers that only prompted one thousand questions more, except one: why was he not still with his parents. Did something happen to them? It was something the others understood was something they shouldn't prod. Each of them loved their parents dearly, with the exception of Sirius but he considered the Potter parents to be better parents for him and he loved them just as much, and would be devastated to lose them. Something like that, especially at a time when the pain was so new, was just something they mentally swore not to get into.

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End of Chapter 1 – 1,577 words

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Posted: _21 May 2007_


	3. Chapter 2

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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A Dance With Fate

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 2 of 20

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He couldn't die yet, it just wasn't fair. They had sacrificed their childhood, their very lives to the cause of the Light and survived. Yet some curse would take down the their main support, his best friend?_

_Harry Potter couldn't understand the cruel fate behind their lives as it once again laughed in their face. The Final Battle was over, Voldemort once more defeated, and for good this time. But Ron was hit by a strange curse that should have killed him outright, but it didn't. So now he was stuck between the living and dead. Madam Pomphrey and countless other healers told them that the cure was a potion, but the recipe was lost as the creator died. But they couldn't let that stop them. Hermione and he had spent the last two weeks searching for some sort of cure that they had missed, but the truth surrounded them._

_It was never written down before._

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Wednesday: 3 August 1977

Harry was settling in the Potter household simply enough but tension was mounting between the Marauders. When Harry was deemed "okay" by Mrs. Potter, he was moved into James' room, which was the same room the Marauders stayed in when they visited. It wasn't particularly snug, especially as they were already used to the Gryffindor dormitories. But when James had told his parents he wanted his friends over, they had removed a wall bordering James' room so that they could all fit.

But then a problem arose. They wanted to work more on the pranks for the new school year, but didn't know how Harry would react to it, whether encourage or condemn it. It wasn't something that should be creating such tension, but some how it did. When the issue was brought up as Harry was helping Mrs. Potter with dishes for whatever reason, James announced a controversial proposition:

"I think we should include him in the plans."

In the six years that they had been friends, they had only attempted adding someone else in their plans three times. Each time ended in disaster. Jenny Wiegh, who had been Sirius' new girlfriend at the time, was the first attempt of adding on a fifth person in their ranks in fourth year. She had been amused by the pranks they were becoming famous for and despritely wanted to see one in action. Sirius agreed and convinced the others, but she started laughing when confronted by Professor McGonagall which landed them in two weeks of detention when she confessed. Whenever they see her, they make sure to aim a glare in her direction.

Nick Serway, who was a first year two years ago and had started hero worshiping the Marauders for some reason, convinced them to take him with them for one prank. In a moment of weakness, as he inflated their egos, they agreed to take him on, clearly forgetting what happened with Wiegh. While Sirius was levitating James to the second floor to hang bird food in front of the Defense Against the Dark Arts office, Nick ran into Sirius and James ended up with a broken leg that Madam Pomphrey refused to heal. To make things worst, the bird food they were hanging, because the teacher hated birds and gave them and essay four feet on how nifflers were misunderstood creatures, was found in Peter's hair when confronted on the prank. Again, two weeks of detention and glares towards Nick.

Finally was Michael Chang, the now third year Ravenclaw, who didn't really have permission to follow them in preparation of a prank. He simply followed them last year to the kitchens and started yelling on how house elves weren't to go into his room, therefore offending the small creatures. It apparently stemmed from some freak accident when he visited some harsh pureblooded relatives, but the house elves didn't want to hear it. The Marauders weren't allowed in the kitchens for four months which ruined some rather ingenious pranks that could have happened. When they could, Michael became the target of some embarrassing pranks which seemed to make them happier whenever they were rejected from the kitchens during that time. Even after those four months, the house elves were weary when they entered their domain.

They debated it long after Harry had come back from dishes, and was then confused him as they argued about it without indicating what they were arguing about. He never interrupted, only looked back and forth as they came up with a reason for or against. Once Mrs. Potter joined them, they were forced to end their debate as she would understand what they were talking about easily.

It ended with Peter thinking James' idea was good and Sirius saying he'd agree if Remus did as Remus was "always right". It was clear that Sirius did not want to argue against Remus' logic, as even many Ravenclaws hadn't been able to be beat it. Sirius didn't have a chance if they didn't. Remus could easily say that he wasn't to get Harry involved until he had his own time to speak with the other boy. And that opportunity came quicker than expected.

"Do you stay with the Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Robert often?" Harry asked the next morning when it was only he and Remus left in the room the five boys shared.

Remus nodded, "They like to spoil James, and if that means to have a bunch of boys running around their house, so be it. We have been going to the train station together since fourth year, once my parents let go enough for me to go with them. They only let it happen as long as they are able to pick us up at the end of the year and I stay during Christmas and Easter breaks with them. Very protective they are."

"It's a good thing to have," Harry added softly, sitting on his newly made bed.

Remus berated himself for bringing up a topic – parents – that Harry didn't feel comfortable talking about. If Mrs. Potter was to find out that he made Harry sad in any way, he knew that no matter how much she liked him (as he was the words of wisdom when it came to her son), she wouldn't allow him to stay there. He didn't know how to rectify it so he continued, "I'm going back in a few days, but will be back on the thirty-first."

"Are you sick?" Harry asked.

There was a small amount of something in his voice that made Remus realize that as much as he was watching the other boy, Harry was watching right back. He quickly came up with an excuse, one the other Marauders would recognize as a "way out of the furry problem" as they joke about, and no raise suspicion about it. The other boy took it in stride and led the way down the hall to where Sirius and James were downing eggs and bacon at record speeds. Peter was seated at the side, watching with amazement at the amount of food they could eat so quickly.

Harry watched with a bit of longing in his eyes. Remus didn't know if it was that maybe he didn't have close friends like the Marauders and wanted that friendship. Or it could be he was simply hungry.

Either way, Remus decided that he could prank prepare with them. He seemed innocent enough, even though he had a dark look in his eyes every once in a while. It was probably just the darkness of why he was there in secret, why that way they still haven't been able to get from him or the Potters.

The other Marauders seemed overjoyed that Remus had, as they put it, stopped being a "worry-wart". He couldn't help that he decided that detention wasn't something he particularly enjoyed. With the way they were acting, it was as if they didn't care about the possibility of being expelled if a prank got too far, or didn't think it would ever happen. Harry asked politely what they were talking about, though Remus had a feeling that he knew more then he let on, with the Marauder's pranks and among other things. Sirius immediately got into a rather animate tale about some of their funnier pranks. How he could eat as much as he had while talking and enacting the pranks was a wonder even to Remus who had lived with him for the past six years.

It was just something Sirius was able to pull off that no one else could.

James just sat back with an almost "I told you so" attitude as he watched his second cousin once removed listen to Sirius' tale without berating them. He had always argued that Harry was a Potter which automatically meant that he would think it was a cool thing to do. But he refused to listen when Harry said he wasn't the pranking type so couldn't help them in their mischief making. It was just that his "Potter genes" weren't fully working because he was so far away from England most of his life. Harry only smiled at that with his mysterious smile.

When the Marauders stayed up all night in their room, that amazingly fit all five boys comfortably, Harry sat back with a book only watching. They came up with some ingenious ideas, ideas that would never been thought up and planned if they couldn't talk while Harry was in the room. It made Remus know his decision was right. And the other Marauders actually listened to it, for once without arguing. Definitely a record.

By the time it was time to pack for the trip to Hogwarts, they didn't care about why he was going with them as they had become fast friends. He was a good kid at least. And though he laughed and said he couldn't help them with coming up with pranks, he did smooth over some rough edges. James said it was his "Potter genes" finally poking through.

Overall a benefit more than a liability.

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End of Chapter 2 – 1,520 words

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Posted: _23 May 2007_


	4. Chapter 3

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 3 of 20

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__They were back at his bedside for whichever time it was. It had come to hundreds, thousand. One could say it was bordering on the millions and no one would dare to argue. The days started to blend together where an actual value could not be determined. And even if one could be found, it would only increase the depression. For the saviors of the world just after their victory, there wasn't much celebrating._

_They were back on the battlefield with only Ron's life on the line. Harry met Hermione's eyes from across the bed and out passed a silent promise. Some way, some how, they would get her back to the land of the living. It could take days, or weeks, or even years, but they wouldn't give up. He never stopped believing in them._

_It was time to return the favor._

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Thursday: 1 September 1977

After the morning rush of getting five sets of trunks in order, shrunk, and packed into the family car, and then arrange themselves so they could fit four Marauders, two adults, and one visitor, the train station seemed to laugh at and add to their discomfort. Instead of making it easy for them, the station was packed with muggles, witches, and wizards alike, each darting from platform to platform. James and Sirius for whatever reason decided it was perfectly funny to wander off when either of the elder Potter's backs was turned. It was harmless, but took up time to wrangle them back in line and continue on their way to Platform Nine and Three-Quarters.

"Why don't you hold hands with your parents, James," Remus taunted, "it'll be like it used to be when you were younger. Oh wait, you had to do that last month didn't you?" He didn't know what possessed him to say such, but the miffed glare and deep color on James' face made it worthwhile. Harry remained oblivious as he was not there one month ago, but the others clearly remembered when they shopped in Diagon Alley and Mrs. Potter had to physically keep her son from wandering back to the Quidditch shop. Sirius practically fell on the floor laughing, and would have done so if he was not clutching desperately to his trolley's handles. "And since there are two of them, I suggest Sirius do the same. We wouldn't want you to feel left out."

"Remus!" Sirius cried, surprised, "What has gotten into you? I remember little Remus who would never come up with something like that!"

Remus just chuckled and shrugged. "You guys have officially corrupted me."

"Obviously."

As soon as each member of their party was calmed enough to become mobile again, they walked the short distance to the magical platform's entrance. It was there that they ran into a problem: the Black family arrived the same time as them. The cheerful atmosphere dropped drastically as cold glares were exchanged to a point that their minds didn't even remember the playful banter from before. Before Sirius or James could get out of Remus' strong grasp on their wand arms and curse the other group, Mr. Black led his wife and younger son through the barrier.

Sirius continued to glare at the pillar long after his estranged family left. He did not turn to confront the sympathetic gazes of the rest of the group. Being in that position many times due to his lythcapy, Remus knew ht sympathy was not wanted, but he didn't know what Sirius needed then. If his own parents hated him, he wouldn't be able to survive the pain.

Harry – who Remus actually forgot was even there – on the other hand had approached the depressed Marauder and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You did good." From his new position, Remus could see his expression was not sympathetic for Sirius but comforting and, if looking carefully, proud. He could only imagine it was because he could sense Sirius' obvious hatred for his parents (who bore such a strong resemblance that it was the only conclusion of who they were) but didn't act on it. Come to think about it, Sirius could have fought harder to overpower Remus, or even use his other, unrestrained hand to get his wand. Remus started to get proud of his fellow Marauder as well. Harry continued with: "I won't even start on why you are more important than they are. But do you really think that poor pillar deserves to suffer for their misdeeds?"

The message hit well to the mischief maker and he eased his gaze off the innocent pillar marking the platform's entrance. A small chuckle, a mere ghost of the previous enjoyment, escaped his mouth. Remus wouldn't have thought the other boy would know how to calm the usually difficult Marauder.

But the surprising revelations didn't stop there. Once the Marauders and honorary addition parted ways from Mr. and Mrs. Potter, they hauled their trunks to find an empty room. They were happy to find one for themselves, but before they could fully relax, they heard a burst of sobbing coming from the corridor and decided to investigate. They found Lily Evans trying to comfort Janette Wilguard who was the one they heard. Through the bouts of tears they were able to understand that her uncle, who she was quite close with, was killed in battle against Death Eaters.

Again, Remus didn't know what to do to comfort the girl, and even Lily – who always knew what to do for the most part – was struggling to calm Janette. Instead of holding back, Harry separated from the rest of the group and rubbed a hand against her back saying, "He died honorably and would not want you to suffer on account of him."

Instead of calm down, Janette spun around quickly to slap Harry across the face. "Who are you? And what gives you any right to say something like that? He didn't deserve to die at all!"

Harry remained calm and spoke slowly, as to make sure she heard each word. "My name is Harry Potter, and I am a visitor this year. And I understand perfectly what you are feeling."

"You don't understand at all!"

"I have seen many people murdered by-" he paused as if wanting to choose the right words "-an evil wizard that my parents had been fighting at my home. Many people who didn't deserve to die either, but did because they were caught in the wrong place. I was there for a lot of them." Those that had gathered due to the noise, and even those who were just passing by, quieted to a record breaking level. Even Janette's crying seized to sound as she gazed wide-eyed at Harry. "And now I'm here to somehow find a potion to help a friend of mine who could be dying at this very moment… I believe I understand much more than you would think."

"Oh, you poor dear!" Lily exclaimed, placing a hand on his shoulder in sympathy.

"It's okay, really," Harry knew he needed to get out of the situation quickly by the way James was looking at them with murder in his eyes. "You just have to get over it."

"Oh Harold," a girl he didn't recognize sighed, using the proper name for _Harry_ even when he didn't use it to introduce himself, "how brave of you to bear with all that pain."

"Harry," he corrected, "just Harry, please."

"Harry Potter!"

The group couldn't turn around fast enough to see the squeaky voiced house elf rush passed them and attach himself to Harry, bursting into tears.

"Dobby?"

"Harry Potter, how could you leave me? How could you leave poor Dobby behind?"

"Dobby! Calm down! I'm sorry, but I needed to go, bad things are still happening."

The house elf, Dobby, stopped bawling and gazed up at the boy with wide eyes. "I understand now, Harry Potter, sir, understanding really well."

"You have a house elf follow you around? You know that is slavery."

Curiously, Remus thought he heard Harry murder something close to "Hermione…" before Dobby turned his attention towards her and said accusingly. "You don't know anything about Harry Potter then. Harry Potter freed me, miss! Gave me my sock! Harry Potter teaches me better English, miss, because he is my friend! He chased away the dark wizards!"

"Okay, Dobby," Harry drastically interrupted, crouching low next to the elf. He lowered his voice but Remus could hear due to his werewolf senses, "they can't know of that, okay Dobby? Can I trust you?"

"Of course, Harry Potter!"

"Could you please wait in there?" he asked, pointing back to the cabin the Marauders and he was occupying for the trip. "I'll be right there, I promise."

Janette sat back sheepishly. "I'm sorry Harold, I didn't know he was set free. It just infuriates me when I see something so defenseless being forced into something they don't want to do. I mean-"

"Miss…?" Harry paused to get a name, but when it was obvious she wasn't going to provide one he continued with: "One, remember, I'm just Harry. I'm your age, maybe only a year older. Two, do not think they are defenseless. Underestimating something will get you killed. And three," here his face softened considerably, "there is nothing to apologize for. I understand it is cruel. You reminded me of a very close friend of mine who in our fourth year tried to get all the house elves of our school freed. But before you do anything," he warned as, sure enough, she was developing strategies on how to free the Hogwarts house elves, "you should understand that she gave up on our school, because they are happy. And if you mess with their happiness, they won't do you any favors. Let it be. I'm sure the Headmaster treats them well here. Let them be."

Even Remus, who had spoken with him before, was surprised by Harry's speech. It reminded him not to underestimate anything that appeared weak. He was a prime example of the warning, he was stronger physically then any of the other humans but it appeared he had no muscle in his small body. It made him want to watch Harry more closely. Was the warning made in memory of his own mistakes, or the mistakes about him? The surrounding silence was oppressive. Each student continued standing in the crowded train corridor probably still considering what Remus had just finished considering. Janette seemed to be in the deepest thought, eyebrows nearly touching due to her tense forehead. It probably hit her hardest as it was mainly directed towards her and it shifted her position of the cuddly looking house elves she had just started advocating for.

* * *

End of Chapter 3 – 1,645 of words

* * *

Posted: _25 May 2007_


	5. Chapter 4

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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* * *

**

**A Dance With Fate**

_ Canopus Carina _

Chapter 4 of 20

_

* * *

_

_The temptation to throw the book across the Library was hard to break as it lacked the information they needed. Any mention of the Manas Curse was a warning to not do it as they will die. They had been in the library for forty-five hours straight, only getting food from Dobby who appeared periodically. The lack of sleep was starting to get to him. If it weren't for the fact that the Death Eater was already dead, he would have unleashed his newfound violent feelings on him. But the curse was warned against for a reason: anyone not magically strong enough will die slowly as their magic is ripped from them and their core implodes. Not a very nice way to die. _

_But if they didn't figure out anyway to save Ron, who had already gone through a lot since they had become best friends, he would have to figure out a way to resurrect the Death Eater. And then end his life for him again. _

* * *

Thursday: 1 September 1977 

Harry left the others that were gathered to consider what he had said, before they could turn on him with questions of who he was and why he was there. Remus made sure to follow him quickly, and sensed that the other Marauders, though not completely out of their contemplation, followed him as well. The house elf, Dobby, was sitting across from Harry who had his head in his hands.

"How did you know where I was, and better yet, how did you get here?"

"You wasn't in your room, Harry Potter, when Dobby came to give present! And Dobby found Miss Hermione who said yous gone away but wouldn't tell Dobby where. But she looked to healer's room where Dobby found big book, so Dobby had Twilly – who could reads Harry Potter! – tell mes what it said. And Dobby follows it, Harry Potter, Dobby did. And here Dobby is!"

Harry just stared at the little house elf, but not with amazement as the other Marauders were due to his excited and fast passed rendition. He was looking at Dobby with what some could consider love. Caring of a dearest friend when they offered to cross the globe with them. Caring of the deepest kind. "House elves really are the smartest and most powerful creatures if given the chance," he said kindly. The house elf's ears perked up and his wide eyes seemed to glow.

"Harry Potter not going to send Dobby back?" he asked happily.

"No, I'm not going to send you back," he answered with a pleasant sigh. Dobby became even more excited, if it were even possible, when Harry continued with, "It will be nice to have someone along side that I could trust. Who knows what the journey shall bring this time."

"Dobby won't let Harry Potter down!" he bounced.

"Good, so could you go to the Headmaster's office and explain to him? It'll be just like back home, okay?"

The elf nodded excitedly and with a "CRACK!" disappeared from the small room.

* * *

Once the train pulled into Hogsmeade Station, it seemed a pandemonium spell was cast. Students were flying at every direction to find misplaced objects, lift heavy trunks, and partner up for the carriage ride up to the castle. First years ran around confused as even the prefects were preoccupied with where they needed to be. Massive Hagrid forced his way through the chaos calling out to the miniscule newcomers, but it only increased the confusion. It wasn't until the first carriages started the journey to the castle did the chaos slow as there simply were fewer people to cause the chaos. But it was then that the Marauders thought of their own pressing question. 

Where did Harry go?

Up until then, they never wondered why the non-student was going on the journey to Hogwarts. The school simply did not accept exchange students and transfers had never been accepted to Hogwarts. It was simply unheard of. When James voiced the question, Harry just smile relieved.

"That's all you are worrying about?" He answered as if it was nothing. "Here I was worried that someone left something at home that they needed tonight! No, the headmaster had informed me earlier that I am to take the carriages and that more instructions would be given once I get there. And the boats are already gone so it leaves us with only one option anyway. Let's go catch a carriage."

Looking behind him, Remus saw that, sure enough, the boats were on their journey across the lake. So the four marauders and Harry commandeered their own carriage and rearranged themselves so they could all fit. Thankfully it was only a short ride to the castle, especially when telling takes of previous year's pranks. Laughter always made anything go quickly. A little too quickly, Remus believed as the carriage stepped unexpectedly as Sirius was imitating Filch once they escaped him sometime in fourth year. They piled out with an unspoken promise to continue it that night.

It was then, as Remus quickly sobered up, that he realized he never heard Harry's laugh. And it wasn't because James' and Sirius' bellowing laughter were muting it out. Turning now to the fifth member, Remus could see Harry looking down at a fallen Sirius, who couldn't stop laughing, with a wistful smile and shadowed eyes. But he must have felt he was being watched as he soon turned to Remus, smiled in understanding, and then turned towards the formidable castle. Questions continued to run through Remus' head as the young werewolf watched Harry's face. Normally looks of amazement crossed newcomer's faces when looking up on Hogwarts due to the size and, for those who could feel it, the magic radiating from it. But instead of amazement or even a small bit of wonder, Harry looked upon the castle with a mixture of relief, understanding, and a sense of closure. It was if he was welcoming himself home.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Harry asked as he noticed he was still being watched. The other three Marauders quieted to watch him.

"Have you been here before?" Remus questioned softly. "You just look as if you have by your behavior."

Harry didn't answer for a long while, instead turned to the castle again while even the slowest straggler passed through the front entrance. "Home is just like it," he answered mysteriously and passed through the doorway as well.

The hall quieted quickly as Dumbledore rose from his seat and raised an arm in greeting. Remus felt that this was the first time that the Marauders were being watched with such intensity without loosing a mass about of points. But it was evident that it was Harry that the headmaster was greeting. The boy in question turned uncertainly to the Marauders behind him. When no one else thought to do anything, Remus motioned for him to sit with the headmaster, as that was what he thought Dumbledore was saying. And the boy left.

Harry sat down three seats away from the Headmaster with a question in his eyes but didn't question the seat reserved for him. Remus didn't watch long as he turned to watch Professor McGonagall walk up the house tables with the wide eyed first years. He laughed at their amazed expressions. Was he like that six years ago? The sorting passed quickly without any interruption. Gryffindor became the proud residence of eleven first years, six girls and five boys, somewhat of a record in the past years of a max of ten students. And then Dumbledore rose to address them.

"Welcome to a new year," he started. The first years again were staring in amazement at the headmaster's choice of wardrobe, today with a lime green robe set. Something that just stayed the same each year. "And with the new year comes change.

"Many of you returning are wondering about the two additions to this table. I would first like to introduce to you our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Professor Stewart Braun. He is most known for his trips to Southern Britain and his work with the uprising of pixie migration. I am sure Professor Braun is ready to take on postion with no trouble." A polite applause was given as the professor stood and quickly sat down.

"And then we have the pleasure of adding a new opportunity to our school. A distant relative of the Potter family, Harry Potter has seen and participated in fights against dark wizards of his home. He has come here to Hogwarts in a quest to combat a curse that does not have any recorded cure where he is from. But he has come in a time where our home is conflicted in an evil, much like that of his own home. While we now have a celebrated and competent Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher," many students laughed thinking back to last years teacher who had a deep hatred towards centaurs and spent most of the lectures on how they were damaging the world, "I would like to take this opportunity to ask Mr. Potter to impart some of his wisdom in combating dark wizards. Mr. Potter?"

The entire hall turned their heads to the other addition to the table. James looked at his cousin with a sense of disbelief, one mirrored by Sirius as well. They had lived with the boy for the past month without any mention of him being offered a teaching position at Hogwarts. He just popped out of now where and was now getting anything that he could possibly need. This was their home, not this stranger's.

Harry remained frozen under the hall's stares. After a minute or so, he turned pained eyes to the Marauders but most of them turned away in betrayal. Only Remus watched back head on. He wanted to know what Harry was thinking then when was put on the spot. If he had not known about the offer, he would have denied it quickly to the headmaster, but instead, he turned to the Marauders. It was as if he knew but didn't want them to know for some reason. But what reason was it?

"I see our guest has not made a decision yet," Dumbledore continued as Harry still hadn't come with an answer, "I hope that he considers the offer carefully as it could make all the difference in the future. He will be found wandering the castle from time to time, or perusing the library for information. I expect you all to treat him with the utmost care."

* * *

End of Chapter 4 – 1,600 of words

* * *

Posted: _28 May 2007_


	6. Chapter 5

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

**

* * *

**

**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina _

Chapter 5 of 20

* * *

_The name seemed to be glaring at him with all its might, just as he was glaring at it. They had found the name of the Healer who had found the cure to the Manas Curse and the residence of said Healer. He continued to glare at the words _Remedius Partromi_ on the lone gravestone on the hill. It did not even state the healer's titles or acculateds, only the two words of his name as if all he had been was a useless entity in the world. _

_She was still back in the castle, pouring over books that have long been scanned for any scrap of information. It was not like him to give up, but the deep fear was quickly entering him and refusing to let go. He had succeeded in defeating a foe ten times more magically mature than he, had succeeded in putting peace back into a war torn country _

_But he had failed at bringing peace to himself. _

* * *

Thursday 1 September 1977 

"Do we really need to do this?" Peter asked nervously. "He probably already knows its going to happen, he'll ruin it!"

"And why would he know?" Sirius asked dangerously. "You haven't gone telling him about it, have you?"

"Oh come on," Remus interrupted, pulling Sirius away from the now cowering rat animagus, "he lived with us when we were plotting half of them. He would have to be an idiot not to notice it."

The moon threw her silvery glow on the Marauders as they wandered the corridors. It was still only the first of September. Usually that night had the highest security looking for students like them who were out after curfew. The Marauders had never challenged that security as they had been almost caught due to regular patrolling. But Sirius had convinced the others to brave the corridors for their revenge. One thing the Marauders trusted most of all is trust. Without it, once they were caught for some mischief, they could be caught in a lie and land all of them into detention. Without it, certain pranks, especially those involving food or flying, would never be attempted limiting them to normal and eventually boring pranks. And Harry broke that trust.

They checked the Marauder's Map and saw that Harry was in Dumbledore's office with the headmaster. The room they were about to enter, Harry's new office, was fortunately empty. Once inside, they immediately set to work, only pausing to double check some point in the plan with another Marauder or to make sure no one was in the corridor outside.

As his watch announced that it was two in the morning, which was a perfect time to return back to Gryffindor tower, they were just finishing the last touches on the first prank of the year. To an untrained eye, the room looked perfectly harmless, nothing out of place. But there were various strings of magic that lined the walls and doors, waiting to be triggered and let loose their spells. The only difference was a cardboard box, big enough to hold a medium sized television if needed, was hidden in a back corner. As soon as the spells were triggered, the box would open as well.

Remus hissed and motioned for the others to follow him out of the room. They cast the last spell, one that would trigger the others half a minute after the door was opened. Sirius had come up with the timing as he argued it would be the amount of time for Harry to enter the room, close the door, and get situated in whatever Harry does. It was a perfect plan, but Remus felt a little unnerved about the whole thing.

That feeling was raised significantly when he sensed someone coming.

"Is it really necessary?" a voice penetrated the calm, quiet air. The Marauders automatically hid behind suites of armor they knew wouldn't squeal on them. Portraits wouldn't say anything unless asked or threatened, but certain armor had senses of honor and apparently being hid behind is in violation of that honor. They were hidden just in time as Harry rounded the corner with Dumbledore at his side. Remus stopped watching, making sure to be completely hidden, as Dumbledore had a knack for seeing in the dark. Hopefully the other Marauders remembered as well and hid themselves well.

"You had stated that you knew what Fate had in store for them," Dumbledore answered, "it would be beneficial to equip them with knowledge so they are not just sacrificed."

The corridor fell silent and Remus was tempted to look at where the other two unhidden occupants were. To his dismay, he noticed that the two were standing less than two feet away from him, apparently decided not to continue down the corridor. Dumbledore was waiting patiently as Harry looked into the shadowed distance with vacant eyes. Remus was almost saddened by the new instructor as his face was covered with a pained expression, like a wild animal trapped in a corner. At length, Harry stood there with the patient Headmaster as a statue until he softly murmured, "I can not interfere with Fate." He then turned to the headmaster with a set face, erasing any pain from before. "By changing anything that is set to happen, I destroy everything good that comes from it. As much as I want to say certain things, I can't. I hope you understand this."

The headmaster's reaction could not be seen as his back was turned to Remus, but the silver head bowed down in a nod. "You truly hold strength far surpassing any of your own age, my boy. I will not overrule your decision; however I implore you to consider taking the position. Do not interfere, only teach some of what you have been taught. The powers of Darkness can not have the upper hand."

After some consideration Harry answered with, "I will need to leave the castle many times."

"Which is why you are to be our Dueling instructor and not Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. You are given free reign of the castle and its resources, and all we ask in return is two hours a week of instruction which you choose yourself to be most beneficial to you."

"I'll sleep on it," Harry answered softly.

"That is all I ask."

The two continued their journey through the corridor without a word. Harry turned into a room, the door resounding in a soft click, and the headmaster walked away. It was only when he turned down another corridor and his steps faded away did the Marauders leave their hiding places. "That was close," James muttered. "Any longer and we would have been caught in the act."

Remus then saw that Harry had entered the room they just trapped. The other three Marauders were silently celebrating a successful prank. Yet the hallways were still silent instead of reverberating with the sounds made by the firework display and release of a niffler in the closed room. "He must have placed a silencing charm," Sirius said when Peter asked about the silence, "but we should leave before he comes out to find us."

The four Marauders ran back to Gryffindor Tower. By their lack of caring, Remus realized that the other three must not have heard the conversation like he had. Harry must not have known about the position he supposedly was to fill if he was complaining about something about it. Therefore he did not knowingly betray the Marauder's trust and did not deserve the prank they played on him. Especially one as destructive as that. When they were safely out of harm, he would explain it to them. But if their perspective did not change, he would break their trust himself by turning them all in to face the school's wrath. It would be the least he could do.

* * *

The next morning, the Marauders slowly made their way to the Great hall as cattle on the way to slaughter. Remus made sure to go deep in the reprimanding their actions, though he too participated. It hurt him more when he realized he was the only words of reason but did not jump to the young instructor's side and convince his friends not to take the useless revenge. He should feel their pain, and gladly placed it on himself. Students around them were wondering what happened to put such a gloomy disposition on each of the normally cheerful group. The feelings only increased as Harry walked briskly passed the tables on a path towards the headmaster, as cheerfully as could be. 

As soon as the newcomer reached the High Table, he bent to have a private discussion with the old man, one that raised the man's expression considerably. That is if it were possible to make the cheerful man even happier. Silence fell upon the room as the headmaster rose from his seat. The silver stars bounced excitedly off the deep purple robes as the headmaster waited patiently for each student's attention. "Mr. Potter has graciously accepted the offer to provide lessons to us which will impart you with the gift of life if you find yourself in an unfortunate battle with one of the Dark Lord's followers. All students fourth year and above are required to attend the first month's lessons. Any younger are allowed to join their peers, however," he paused here to gaze upon some of the younger students who were watching, "I advise you to evaluate your decision greatly before you join. I could only assume Mr. Potter will be showing you complicated or disturbing situations you may find yourselves in. Any younger than the prescribed years may not grasp some of the concepts, but as each of you know, it is a dangerous world and each have the same chance of running out of luck. The first meeting shall be tonight. Take the course if you wish: You have been warned."

A wind of whispered wind rushed through the Great Hall as the students deciphered the headmaster's warning.

* * *

End of Chapter 5 – 1,516 of words

* * *

Posted: _30 May 2007_


	7. Chapter 6

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

**

* * *

**

**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 6 of 20

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* * *

_

_By the grace of whatever higher power was watching over them, Hermione was able to find a small mention of Merlin's dabbling in time travel. It was rumored that he had actually accomplished the journey several times and written its secrets in a volume he took to the grave. They found it strange that the book had mentioned 'grave' when legend had it that Merlin was entombed in a tree for the rest of eternity._

_They renewed their quest within the library to search for any of mention of where Merlin lay in his living coffin in hopes that it was hidden somewhere nearby. What they found astonished them. While it wasn't the resting place of Merlin himself, it was a connection between the greatest wizard and someone that many had long underestimated. There was a larger chance of finding something of hers than of his._

_And he knew exactly where he wanted to start._

* * *

Friday: 2 September 1977

Classes are difficult to get through when you had the guilty feeling nagging at the back of your mind. Having the guilty feeling that the Marauder's felt and having to go through four classes, was driving them crazy. After the announcement during breakfast, Harry completely disappeared and did not appear during lunch. All they wanted to do was to apologize for pranking him when he only wanted to help them, plus he was family. So when they trailed out of Transfiguration class to get to dinner, they were expecting a sense of relief when they finally saw Harry. But he was not to be seen.

The cheerful and expectant chatter of the other students made Remus wish he could either cast a strong silencing charm or climb on the table and scream for everyone to shut up. Given his usual self-consciousness, he figured the spell would be the best bet. But before he even reached for his wand, the food appeared and the noise dropped considerably. Every once in a while one of the Marauders would look up to see if the instructor had finally entered the room, but each time they were disappointed. Each bit they took seemed to be dust in their mouths and twisted in their stomachs. It occurred for so long that they were convinced that Harry was doing that to punish them. That thought was encouraged when he finally appeared ten minutes before dinner disappeared with a knowing smile and quick glances in their direction. He spoke briefly with the Headmaster before sitting down to enjoy his own meal.

Eating was a more enjoyable experience when they noticed that Harry lacked any cuts or bruising and seemed to be in relatively good spirits. They hoped dearly that his lack of appearance during lunch and late arrival to dinner was for preparation of today's lesson. Harry attacked his food with a gusto which encouraged the Marauders to enjoy what remained of the night.

Harry had just polished off his plate when the Headmaster rose to address the students. "As a reminder, all those fourth year and above are required to attend tonight's lesson and any other that Mr. Potter will set up this month. Any others are not forbidden, however I implore you to continue thinking about whether you are ready for it. With that said, those who are attending today's lesson please remain in your seats as it will take place here to accommodate everyone. All others are asked to please vacate as, as I understand it, this room will be closed off." He paused and turned to receive an affirmative from the young instructor. Remus became slightly unnerved by the smirk that crossed Harry's features and a pointed look to the Marauders. Being locked inside after seeing that was something he was not anticipating. Now, more than everything, he was sure Harry knew the prank was set up by them and was more than ready to turn the tables on them.

Chatter rose back to an unbearable level as everyone mentally readied themselves for the lesson or younger years questioning whether they would remain. At the end, only the first years and a few second years left the room, all the other younger years planning on battling it out. They wouldn't show fear. Remus heard some muttering to each other that they would stop attending if it got out of hand. Soon it was clear that everyone who was going to attend were the remaining; they looked up expectantly to the headmaster. Instead of continuing speaking, he gestured to Harry as if saying "They are all yours" with a look that clearly stated "Don't hurt them". That look alone caused the Marauders to increase their nervousness. Once the headmaster was gone, Harry cast a series of charms on the doors and turned to the students.

"For those who didn't catch it, I'm Harry Potter, a distant cousin to your peer James Potter. Before anyone questions it, I will not favor him over any of you. One, this class is not graded and two, he needs this as much as any of you to deeply sink in. Just wanted to make that clear." He walked around the High Table and down the rows of house tables. Gesturing to the board recording the points each house had, he continued, "Nothing you do here will affect those points. You are not four different houses while you remain in this course. Points will not be given for difficult spells or good deeds, and in turn, points will not be deducted for failure or fighting. Instead of getting the rest of the house involved, I will handle all rewards and punishments. Lose of points is too loose of a punishment. Homework will only be practicing what you learn here, which is something you should be doing already." A wave of cheering echoed through the hall due to no homework. Harry gave a wane smile at their enthusiasm and continued, "But that doesn't mean I don't expect you to be researching on your own in preparation of this class. It will be a more difficult class than the others as here you will have to, heaven forbid, think for yourself. I would especially like for you to come up with lesson plans on your own."

"Professor Potter?" an uncertain Ravenclaw fifth year called out.

Before he could continue, Harry put a hand out to stop him. "Let me make this clear. I'm not a professor; I'm not even a mister. Please just call me Harry. I am attempting to convince the headmaster that he can't call me Mr. Potter or else we won't be able to tell the difference between me and James! Imagine arguing with him… But excuse me, you were saying?"

"Why are you more qualified to teach us as opposed to someone else?"

The hall quieted down quickly. A Ravenclaw questioning authority? Instead of getting offended, Harry chuckled sadly to himself and started staring at the star dotted ceiling.

"First off, I'm not from here. And where I lived, we too were under the constant threat of darkness. My parents had fought in battles just like those you would face against Death Eaters or even Voldemort himself." The hall was filled with shattering gasps at the Dark Lord's name. Remus could only think of one other person who says the Dark Lord's name. Not even McGonagall says it when Dumbledore insists she should. Instead of berating them for flinching, Harry flinched himself and sheepishly added, "Sorry, I forgot people don't like to here it here. But I was raised to say it so I got in the habit before talking with those who don't…

"My professors figured that if my parents were fighting hard against the Dark Lord, I should be allowed to be trained to fight as well. It was my _destiny_. Professor Dumbledore knows of this and trusts that I will do this job successfully. That is why I, above others, have the experience to teach and am close to your ages that it will hopefully encourage you to succeed."

He looked over his new students as he was slowly earning respect by many of them. Some, like the Slytherins, would never accept him, especially after he proclaimed his allegiance with the Light. But it was a start with the rest of them. With a small smile and a clap, he announced, "Let's get started, shall we?"

The hall seemed to buzz with anticipation at the announcement, but didn't say a word. Harry went back to his seat at the High Table and came back with a large brown cardboard box in his arms. Those close enough to him as he walked down the rows again, could hear slight scratching as something inside was trying to get out.

"Some of you are probably asking yourselves, 'Why did he choose today for the first lesson, when he didn't even think about teaching them?'. For those who were wondering, good question. I expect each and every one of you to question everything that happens. Those who do so will have a better understanding of what their opponent is doing and will be able to fight back easier. Those who didn't think of it: don't worry, but the end of this year, you will learn to be as good as anyone else. And the answer is simple.

"Last night after the headmaster came to me asking if I would teach this course again, I went into my new office to arrange some personal items when I came across some peculiarities. After dismantling the triggering spells on my office, and find this little critter among other things," he motioned in the box, "I figured it would be the best start to these lessons. I know one of you set these up, lets see how you all handle them when they are increased in magnitude and set against you?"

With those words of warning, the Marauder's were filled with dread. They watched as their harmless, if not embarrassing, fireworks were set off in the locked room, strong enough to deafen then and knock those close to them off their feet. The niffler wasn't helping matters either as it rampaged the room, attacking anyone who had something shiny near them.

And above the mayhem, Harry called out happily, "Welcome to a new year."

* * *

End of Chapter 6 – 1,562 of words

* * *

Posted: _1 June 2007_


	8. Chapter 7

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

**

* * *

**

**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 7 of 20

_

* * *

_

_He didn't know why Slytherins liked dark corridors, but the Riddle House was filled with them. It gave him an uneasy feeling actually walking the halls in his own body and not during some vision, but he figured if anyone had the remaining artifacts belonging to the founders it would be Voldemort. The search after the Final Battle didn't turn up with anything, but he was sure he knew where to find some interesting items._

_In a vision he had seen flashes of a corridor must like the one he was in where a hidden cubbyhole was hidden with a parseltongue password. Sure enough when he found Tom Riddle's only records of nonmagical birth, his original wand (as he had ordered a new one when he decided to become the Dark Lord of Great Britain), and a few writing books._

_The book he held with great relevance was a rather small black book with canary yellow border._

* * *

Thursday: 15 September 1977

It was amazing how long it could take them to take down the numerous spells that the Marauders had put in place on the first night of they year. And that was even when they even knew what spells were put in place in the first place. The first lesson had ended in disaster with it taking them a half hour before they even had everyone organized to cast spells together. As Harry had added to the intensity of the spells, it really took them all to take down the firework spells and round the hyperactive niffler. When they were finished the heard a single set of clapping but when they turned to see who it was, no one looked out of place. It was then that they noticed that Harry was gone.

I took them a while to realize that Harry was the one who had clapped but immediately left after. He magically took the box they forced the niffler in and disappeared. They took it as their dismissal.

A deep wave of groans had come form the students who returned for the second lesson when Harry announced they should be able to beat their time from the previous lesson. But someone attempted to be a wise guy and said it would be a piece of cake. If Remus knew who it was, he would have strangled the boy as Harry decided to take the spells up a notch. They ended up taking up the two hours trying to dodge the benches that were spelled to drag across the floor at odd variables, periodic splashes of rain from indoor clouds, and Peeves who decided it was a delightful party to join.

Each student felt bruises the size of oranges in various places of their bodies the next morning. There was only so long you could dodge the benches and Peeves' spit wads all the while not slipping in rain puddles. One false move and you were done for.

The Marauders wanted to talk some sense into the older boy, or at least question the lesson he was supposedly teaching, but he was not to be found. After each lesson, he would simply vanish before they had caught their breath. And when they checked later, he was not found on the Marauder's Map. He simply disappeared days at a time, only coming back to the castle to speak with the headmaster about some person Remus never cared to look up.

So when they found the message saying that the third lesson was only a few days away, the cursed the headmaster for forcing them to go. When they continued reading and found the note telling them to wear light clothing and running shoes, they felt their hearts fall past their stomachs. If the lessons so far were doable in regular clothing, he didn't want to know what his lesson had in store for them.

"I see that we are lacking some of the youngest years, aren't we?" Harry asked as if questioning the weather. He calmly strolled up the house tables' lengths to stand in front of the High Table oblivious to the mounting discomfort of his students.

They were not looking forward to another lesson with him. The first two only seemed to harm them physically, and mentally when he thought about it. At first Remus thought it was Harry's way of making the Marauders pay for even thinking about setting a prank on him. They had to feel their own prank's wrath and the other students would somehow get their own retribution for getting them in that position in the first place. But when it continued the next lesson, he couldn't be so sure.

He then thought it could be Harry's way of undermining Professor Dumbledore's authority. When he first came, he didn't want to teach the lessons but some manipulation on the headmaster's part made him change his mind. Did he regret that decision and was then taking it out on them? Did he think that their suffering would in turn harm the headmaster?

"No matter," Harry continued, "as long as we have those who are supposed to be here, we can continue. Anyone missing?"

It wasn't as if any of the students were going to tell him if one of their classmates had the fortune to miss class somehow. It only made them wish they were one of those few. Some were already trying to figure out what they could do to get out of the next lesson.

"I'll take that as a no. Okay, when you are in battle you need to be thinking clearly and be light on your toes. We will get into the spell part later, if you actually make it to the second month, but until then we shall be getting you into shape. That would be why I asked you to wear light clothing. Could I have everyone stand behind the High Table please?"

It only took a minute or two for all of the students to do as they were asked. With a few waves of his wand, Harry moved the tables to the walls, one stacked on top of the other for added room. In their place was set up an obstacle course of some sort, with strange hoops set in a zigzag pattern, some forms of rope, and a balancing beam the rest of the length of the Great Hall. On the stacked house tables on either side of the hall were little bags which looked to be filled with some small hard material. Someone had said they were called 'bean bags' or 'hackysacs'. When those were put in place, Harry looked around with a sense of happiness. Then he turned to the students.

"Today, I figure we could have a little bit of fun. I would like each of you to line up on either side of the balance beam. Now, each person will have a turn to go through the course. The key of today's lesson is speed and balance. First, each student will run through the hoops, one foot per loop, like so. Then you pick up this rope and jump rope twenty-five times before setting the rope down. Make sure you set it down where you got it so that the next person doesn't have to go far to retrieve it. Then you get to the balance beam. To get across, you have to make sure you touch only the balance beam or else you will get penalized. If you touch the floor, you have to go back three meters from where you touched the ground and then start again from there. All the while dodging hackysacs as they will be thrown at you by your peers. But only one at a time. I don't want anyone being pulverized out there."

It really seemed to be looking up as the first person started through the obstacle course relatively fine, but when he got to the balance beam his best friend was able to pelt him in the face. With a mocking glare to his friend, he continued and made it all the way across relatively unharmed. And then the next person went up with all the determination she could muster and practically flew up to the balance beam. When someone was able knock her off the beam, she took up the hackysac and threw it back to her attacker, successfully hitting him square in the chest.

Almost everyone's eyes went to Harry to see his reaction. But instead of get angry, he only chuckled and motioned for her to continue with the balance beam. It seemed as if he didn't mind if they were taking a little fun with this lesson, and so they had fun.

So after she was done, the next person went on and she almost made it to the end of the beam before laughing as her boyfriend started making kissing faces to her. And then Sirius tried to get passed, but the Marauders ignored Harry's rule of only one hackysac at a time and pelted him with three. Harry definitely looked the other way for that one. They knew it was because he knew it wasn't with malice. And then the next went and the next.

Soon everyone had made their way across the obstacle course but wanted to still continue. But Harry motioned for them to stop before they carried on.

"I didn't want these lessons to be something everyone didn't want to go to, but I'm at a loss about how to deal with so many students. Now, I know that a lot of you aren't going to come back after the headmaster stops forcing you, but I don't mind. If you are going to come, make sure to be ready for anything. I don't really take too well to those who don't listen, so in that case I'm very strict. That being said, have fun. You are allowed to stay out here as long as you'd like as long as you are going through the obstacles, I'll be back later to correct the hall, so you don't have to deal with that. Again, have fun." And with that, he left.

There were some who decided to get out while they could, but many stayed behind to go through the course again and again. There became a mass bet about who could make the best time. The winner of that bet ended up being Samuel Greenway of Hufflepuff who somehow managed not to be hit at all when he was crossing the balance beam.

Compared to the other lessons so far, this one was much more fun. They hoped the others will be more like this one.

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End of Chapter 7 – 1,621 of words

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Posted: _4 June 2007_


	9. Chapter 8

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 8 of 20

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_

_To most people, it wouldn't seem of any importance with the exception of the Hufflepuff blazon in the lower left hand corner with 'Helga' in flowing script. He had doubted Voldemort actually had the book as he couldn't think of anything that would stop the dark wizard from wreaking havoc in the past if he was given the chance. But upon opening the book, he could see that Helga Hufflepuff had written the entire journal in a strange symbolic code._

_Somewhere in these pages had to be some mention of a time travel spell if only he could read it. Attached was a long list of spells someone had used to unravel the messages in side. Another had some notes that same person had written when trying to decipher the code by hand before they apparently gave up or ran out of time._

_If anyone could break the code, it was Hermione._

* * *

Monday: 19 September 1977

"How was your summer?"

Remus, Sirius, and Peter nearly winced as Lily turned her icy glare to their fourth member. They were e watching from a stack of books out of sight from the other two in safety. Lily's temper was widely known and James was practically poking a sleeping dragon. But instead of throwing a book as they predicted, she spoke with actually made the Marauders cringe.

"No, I will not go on a date with you. No, I will not study with you. No, I will not partner in class with you. No, not even if you r life depended on it."

"Oh, that was harsh." The others jumped as they noticed Harry had joined them in their hiding place. "I didn't think Lily liked James much, but that was just amazing."

"But Lily, my flower!" James practically wined, "We are Head Boy and Girl, so we are supposed to be together!"

"He's dying out there," Harry added softly. "Is he always so bad at this?"

The other Marauders nodded slowly, not able to take their eyes off of the gruesome sight in front of them. It reminded them of a car wreck, something that was horrible to see, but impossible not to look at and stare. As they watched James make a bigger fool of himself, Remus filled Harry in what let up to this embarrassing scene.

Ever since third year when James first started going through puberty, he started on his master quest to find his true love. He was never raised in the traditional pureblooded sense though the was a pureblood, but he still learned some of the traditions on his own. By searching through his family's traditions book and evaluating his ideals and compatibilities to those ideals, he came up with a list of traits his perfect partner would have. She would have to be smart, loyal, and strong willed. By those traits alone, he had crossed out most of the long list of available girls in first to fifth year, as he figured that those would be the age range that would work the most. Then he thought about physical appeal when looking over his shortened list. He didn't want to be shallow, but given his age, he wasn't quite thinking of marriage at that point.

He went down the list of girls, skipping any that didn't seem to be able to hold a simple conversation with him. Lily was one of the girls skipped. By the time he realized he held a very strong attraction to the fiery read head, he had already developed a name as a lady's man around the castle. He attempted to woo Lily, but as he had a habit of dropping girls after they fell for him, she refused to play his game. That only made him want her even more.

By the end of Remus' retelling, Lily had slammed his fingers under a ten pound book and stormed away. James remained sitting at the table, fingers still under the heavy book.

"What did I miss?" Remus asked as they ran to save his fingers. Once when Lily poured the flowers he gave her on his head, therefore soaking his upper body, he remained in the snow for thirty minutes. He almost got frost bite as the water froze. Anytime Lily was involved, James' brain just shut off.

"She said he was mature as always," Peter said as Sirius busied himself with transfiguring parchment to bandages, "but he didn't get she was being sarcastic and said it was because her love for him tamed his wild spirit."

"She recognized the line I had told Amber Tamblin before the summer when we were going out," Sirius continued, "next thing we know, James here is in a Lily Coma and she is out the door in a flash."

"Rule number one: NEVER let them know it's a line," Harry moaned, putting a hand up to cover his head, "girls want to think that you are sincere when you are talking to them. A line equals lust, a conversation equals love." When he finally looked back to the Marauders, he noticed they were giving him a weird look. He quickly smiled and shook his head. "You don't know how many times one of my best friends gave me lectures about how girls think. She thought I needed to know for whatever reason. I think it's because she wanted me to teach my other best friend so he wouldn't embarrass himself when trying to ask her out."

"You never knew you understood girl!" Peter exclaimed, as if 'girl speak' was the hardest language to understand. "Maybe now you could give James some pointers."

James only glared at the rat animagus, but even Remus had to agree. At the rate he was going, James was going to loose a lot more than just the nerves in his fingers if he continued pestering Lily the way he did. And he wasn't just thinking about James loosing his heart either. "That's actually not a bad idea." James turned his glare to him now.

"Why don't you come back to my table for a sec?" Harry asked, motioning to the other side of the library. "I had seen you walk in and decided to investigate. If I hadn't, I wouldn't have seen such a funny scene."

"What are all those?" Peter asked, pointing to all of the books that were on the table Harry had claimed for the day. The table was filled with so many opened books that Sirius joked that he was competing with Remus for the record.

"Oh, some research that I'm going over. I can't stay long now, but come by my office on Thursday after your classes," Harry said, rearranging the short stack of books he had accumulated during his library stay, "We'll try to get James ship shape so that the next time he sees Lily, he will be ready to sweep her off her feet."

* * *

They had decided to head over to Harry's office two hours before dinner as they had an open period and after dinner was a dueling lesson. Sirius joked that they would need a much longer time than two hours to fix his lady problems. James only pushed him into a wall. So they walked down to Harry's office on the fifth floor, ignoring the suits of armor they had hidden behind the first night of the year. Remus knew that Harry knew it was them that sent the niffler on his office. He wondered how his office had been changed since that night.

Before when they were in his office, the lights were all off but they could still tell that there was only a desk, set of chairs, and set of cabinets inside. Since Harry moved in, he had moved those pieces of furniture against one wall to make way for wide tables that had several books Harry had taken from the library strewn across the surface. Numerous sheets of parchment covered the rest of the tables with Harry's indistinguishable scribble with notes about some person. Dobby sat in one of the chairs casting a spell that searched for a certain word in a book to a large stack of additional books.

Harry motioned for them to wait a while before he was able to finish the chapter he was on. Dobby gave them each a large toothed smile before disappearing with a _SNAP!_ They sat next to Harry's desk as they figured Harry would be quite protective of his research. But they didn't have to wait long before Harry organized a few papers and turned to them with a light clap.

"Okay, let's get started, shall we?"

Remus didn't think it was possible, but Harry actually knew a lot about the female psyche. He said it was because he practically lived with her for the past year that it would be impossible for him not to pick up on a few things. The lectures she apparently was famous for taught him the other pointers when it came to 'girl talk'.

They had sat in his office going over possible scenarios that James could talk to Lily without her automatically putting up a barrier around herself. Remus thought it was perfect irony that Sirius was to play Lily during these scenarios as Sirius joked that it was impossible. But Sirius could never keep a straight face long enough to get through the skit before they all cracked up.

These extra lessons lasted even through dinner, but they didn't mind missing eating. But Dobby had reappeared with snacks and insisted they eat them. Dobby was extremely pleased with himself when they found they loved the food as he apparently had made it himself. It was only when dinner was over did they end their lesson and head over to the Great Hall for the dueling lesson.

Even when they were quickly dodging the added spells exploding around them, they were smilingly deeply. Nothing seemed to erase the fun they had just had in Harry's office.

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End of Chapter 8 – 1,516 of words

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Posted: _6 June 2007_


	10. Chapter 9

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 9 of 20

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_

_It had taken them much longer than they had thought. Hermione attacked the code with a zealous that even surprised him though he had lived with her so long. By breaking the code by hand, they were loosing valuable time, but it had to be done. Whenever he entered Hermione's quarters, she was surrounded by books stacked taller than she, muttering in a mixture of Latin, English, and another language he didn't even think was real. In an attempt to save one, they were slowly loosing another._

_He took it on himself to assure that she was not pushed past her limitations, as she was not looking closely at them for herself. She was slowly loosing her love, her one and only sweetheart, and would not stop before he was back to her again. If they failed, he knew she would surely slip in the void like Ron. He didn't think he could bear loosing both of them._

_And time was running out._

* * *

Monday: 3 October 1977

The Marauders were excited to start the second month of extra lessons that Harry provided. He had mentioned in the last lesson that for those who continued to this point would be in for actual spells that those who were faced with a Death Eater have used to survive. The other adults usually grazed over this subject, in the hope that their students or children wouldn't need such skills. An unfounded hope among the desperation of the impeding war.

Their master plan of getting to the class early so that they could get a good seat was foiled as they realized half of those who participated were already in the Great Hall. It seemed as if almost everyone had realized that if they were near the front, Harry would generally choose them to participate in his display.

Harry walked in and his expression immediately turned to one of surprise. "You would think that after last month's lesson s you wouldn't want to show up anymore."

"We want to duel!" a third year Ravenclaw called out.

"Ah, I remember now," Harry joked as he continued his way to the front of the Great Hall. "But if we are going to do that, we are going to go through some spells first. Now some of these you may already have seen. I don't know the charms curriculum so for those who have already learned this, bear with me as some of these really need to be taught before we get into some of the more potent spells. If you could, I would appreciate it if you would help those who aren't getting it if you already know it. But I will figure some harder ones for you soon. Now, who has done a Jelly Legs Jinx?"

The class progressed to go over the jinx in detail: how to move the wand, which syllables to accentuate, what could be used to block it. "Who would like to help me in this demonstration?"

Remus was awfully tempted to volunteer himself just to show off his skill at jinxes, hexes, and curses. But something in the way that Harry said it made him second guess volunteering. Sirius was picked instead.

"How do you want it done?" Sirius asked while sauntering up to Harry. But even before he was able to pull out his wand, he was hit by Harry's jinx in full force. The hall erupted in laughter as Sirius flopped to the ground.

"Who would like to tell me what Sirius did wrong here?"

"But I wasn't ready!" Sirius argued, moodily casting the counter-jinx so that he could stand.

"Exactly," Harry answered. "In an official duel no one starts until each one is ready, but in a real battle your opponent will not care. It is an advantage for them, one that they will take no matter who you are. I hope that you have learned your lesson? I picked you because you were the only one that volunteered that didn't already have their wand out. Everyone else, you should have it ready to cast spells, not just on the table or loosely in your hand. You could go back to your seat, Sirius."

Sirius followed the instructions with a put out look. Several chuckles were let loose at the reaction.

"I would like to separate everyone into groups based on your ability to do the spell. Those who have never done this before: could you please go to the back of the hall? Now those who still have some trouble with it, but have already learned it please go to my right. Everyone else, and I hope that you are able to do this spot on and be able to block it, go to my left." He waited until everyone was in their appropriate spots before he moved again. With a flick of his wand and a few well chosen words, several dummies appeared in the back and right sides of the hall, enough for each student in those areas to use. "Now for those who know this, partner up. You will now be practicing against each other. Just like in your usual classes, one will be casting and the other will be blocking. Start now."

As Remus was in that group, he turned to look for a partner. Sirius and James were also in that group, while Peter opted to go in the 'struggling' group, but they were going to partner up together leaving Remus out. But surpringly, Sirius tapped him on the shoulder. Turning to James, he noticed that the other boy was trying to get Lily to be his partner. Either Harry's other lessons were working or James was using the I-don't-have-a-partner excuse because Lily actually decided to be his partner.

Harry instructed the students who hadn't seen the jinx before until they were the same level as the 'struggling' group or the 'excelling' group and were respectfully re-divided.

Remus shot the curse again at Sirius when he was watching the young students move to the other groups, therefore bypassing his shield and Sirius fell to the ground. He only laughed as Sirius shot a dirty look at him. "You should have learned what Harry told you," he teased.

As Sirius struggled to get his wand that had somehow fallen just a foot out of reach and didn't have mobility of his feet, Remus looked over to what Harry was doing. The older boy had just stopped his rounds of the 'struggling' group next to one of the students who had kicked his dummy after not being able to cast the spell correctly again.

"Just relax, it will come to you." Harry instructed calmly.

"Why even bother? I'm never going to get this right."

"Don't you dare," Harry forced out, one syllable at a time. "Don't you ever dare say that. Your life is at stake, your very future is being risked as you throw your life away by not learning this. But if you don't get out of your crazy attitude, get out, I will not be the reason for your death. So get busy." Harry stared down the moody Hufflepuff waiting for him to get back to work, but the kid refused to budge. Harry developed a crazed haze as he approached the rebel. "I once knew a boy that you remind me of, the pride of his house, who died right in front of me in battle just because he was simply there. If they are anything like those in my country's war, the Death Eaters don't care about what you decided to learn at school. Just pray you have a quick death as they enjoy torturing little kids just to hear them scream. These are sick people planning our deaths and slavery. And you think you will survive by the way you are going?"

"And you think you are ready, Potter?"

Harry, faster than seen, clasped down on the boy's shoulders and shook. "I have seen things you couldn't even dream up of done to innocents. Praise whatever god you believe in that it has not happened to you. Little kids, four, five year old crying out as their parent's souls are ripped out of them by a Dementor's Kiss and no one answers. Sometimes they send a painless Killing Curse at them but most times they send multiple spells to cut the skin off their very bones, to burn their organs until they turn to dust, curdle their blood into gelatinous goo. All the while laughing!

"Could you see your parent going through that? See a sibling or a best friend go through such torture that you wish to kill them yourself because you couldn't bear the sight before your very eyes which would haunt your very life until judgment day?" No one quite knew when their teacher stopped shaking the petrified boy; they were hanging on his very word. He knew what happened outside the castle walls, the facts parents refused to speak in hopes to save the pain from their child's eyes even just a year longer. It was a revelation to those who had not been directly affected by the war around them. "I have seen things which would drive most people insane in a few minutes. You think you will survive by the way you're going? Then keep going- I won't stop you- just do it your own way. But your blood won't stain my hands. I have done all I can do for you."

Harry backed away from the boy and went back to work with someone else as if nothing had happened. They could not believe someone so small and fragile looking could create such a heart-felt outburst, but he did. The Marauders knew otherwise however that Harry was more than he seemed as they lived with him for that summer month. But even the way he looked when he first arrived out of nowhere could not touch on the horrors he must have faced.

Everyone got back to work slowly but surely with a new motivation. They would not allow what Harry had spoken of happen to them. They would fight, fight to the bitter end. But one man fought even harder than the rest. One Amos Diggory refused to allow his setback affect him. He would fight.

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End of Chapter 9 – 1,550 of words

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Posted: _8 June 2007_


	11. Chapter 10

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 10 of 20

* * *

'_Rejoice those of patience' it said 'one of such determination wins life's long battles with ample time to spare'. But he couldn't agree much with the beginning page of Hufflepuff's journal. Hermione was forced to write out each page as there was no spell to rearrange the code even if they knew how to break it. They combed through every page as soon as she finished writing the last letter, looking for any secret key they were to follow. It was one big puzzle within a puzzle, one that would have been nice to have during their peace and not when time was against them. The translation was slow and tedious, one wrong move caused the entire page to be wrong and having to start again. And all the while, the laughing clock ticked away precious seconds, reminding them of their peril._

_Once this was all over, he would have to destroy that clock, very slowly._

* * *

Monday: 3 October 1977

Harry had disappeared soon after his outburst with Amos Diggory while his students were in shock. Many still couldn't believe that little Harry was even able to raise his voice, as he seemed to have the patience of a saint.

But what Remus was more interested in what Harry had actually said. As Amos had, Remus was touched by the speech as he knew the war was going to hit them rather quickly. When the students started walking back to their dorms, Remus had a strong desire to go see Harry and tell him that he wanted to learn. Sirius said it was his 'teacher's pet' syndrome that made him want to appeal to all teachers. He could tell that Sirius didn't get the message Harry was trying to convey. He quickly grabbed the Marauder's Map, James' invisibility cloak, and each Marauder before heading down a few flight of stairs to get to Harry's office.

But they weren't the only ones that wanted to talk to Harry. Just as they turned the corner, they heard the headmaster knock on the wooden door. They were able to hide quickly as they had already been under the invisibility cloak, but as the headmaster was rumored to see through such things, they hid behind suits of armor just in case.

"I hear you had an altercation earlier today during your lesson. Care to explain it to me?" He said as Harry opened the door. Even though they didn't see the headmaster's face, Remus could tell that his eyes were sparkling. His voice was almost ringing with amusement.

Harry moved to the side to allow the headmaster through. But something flickered in his eyes and he kept still like that. As he walked back in his office, he left the door open. At first Remus thought he didn't trust the headmaster for some reason and felt and open door would save him. But then it hit him: Harry was inviting them inside.

"When I taught my club back home, I had never had someone infuriate me like he did. Maybe because I was respected back home? Or maybe because the threat of battle was always on us? Something we could see everyday? Whatever reason, I just couldn't take someone setting themselves up for failure."

"It is something hard to endure isn't it? Lemon drop?" Remus had just finished dragging the Marauders into Harry's office when the headmaster offered the muggle candy. Even when he was younger, raised as a muggle, he hadn't cared for the sour treat. "It is quite stuffy in here. I take it that is why you left the door open?" For just a minute, Remus thought the headmaster's eyes had flickered to their hiding place. But as the headmaster turned his attention back fully on Harry, he ten started to believe he imagined it.

"Maybe this is a bad idea," Harry said softly, holding his head in his hands. "They are still too young to fully grasp what really happens during war. Maybe when they go off to Auror training, they will be matured enough for the war."

"But how different would their curriculum be there as opposed to your own training?" Professor Dumbledore injected. "You were actually more of a child when you had to face those moments of war."

Harry looked up to give a mild glare. "I never was a child."

"Then it is impossible to say who is too young or too old to fight. Many people ask me why I do not simply retire, I have fought the darkness once and have seen a century of life. But I continue here because I believe it to be right. I am still needed here. And you, my boy, would be considered too young to see the horrors you faced by many people standards. Yet you endure and awake to see another day as sane as any of us."

"Saner than you, headmaster."

"Ah, I am sure you are correct on that one." The headmaster let out a light chuckle that seemed to fill Remus with joy. He had never heard of anyone actually calling the old man insane, as Harry had clearly indicated, though almost everyone had questioned it at one point. Remus had actually wondered how the headmaster would react to it. But in all his days of pondering, he had never thought that he would laugh as opposed to denial or anger. "I have a question: Is there no one who is learning as you wanted?"

Harry was slow to answer, considering his words carefully as he stared at his tables with the books and papers. "There are some, but I think they would have learned it anyways. The Ravenclaws have always been mature about such things, but they would be able to learn about the creatures I bring and the spells I teach in a book if they needed to."

"But it is not the same of actually doing, now is it?"

"Of course not." Harry agreed. He took a deep sigh before continuing again. "I truly think I got the point across to Diggory today. You could almost see the understanding in his eyes when I had my… altercation. Some of those who have already lost family members to the war are listening to me just fine, too. But then again, they already had the motivation to learn everything. My instruction doesn't really help those who already want to do it, I'm trying to light the fire under a bunch of kids who want nothing more than to play games."

The headmaster nodded at length and moved slightly to get better situated in his small chair. A look crossed his face that made Remus actually realize how old the man was even though he still seemed to have a lot of spunk in him. He had seen so much, and was only trying to help them. "Then fuel needs to be added to the fire lest they fall to the fate of death."

"I have an idea, but I have to get your permission," Harry said, looking as if he just came up with the idea. He stood up quickly and started flipping through a rather large book. By the time the headmaster asked what the idea was Harry had found what he was looking for and placed the book in his hands so the headmaster could see. "We'll need to go into to the forest though. I will find a way of going around your rules if you say no, but I think that this will get some sense into some of them. I'm hoping it will be enough. If not, I think I'm just going to stop teaching these lessons. I have enough that I have to worry about, and if it's not being helpful in anyway, then it is wasting the time I could be using for more productive things."

"I understand. And I believe it is time for me to take my leave for you to do your tasks. You have permission for the forest next week and I do believe your students will take your lessons to heart. However, if you do not see it as so, I will not expect you to continue."

Once the headmaster was gone, he expected Harry to tell them that they could come out of their hiding place. Remus waited almost too patiently for Harry to just turn his head and somehow see them. But it never came. Instead the young instructor went to the tables with the many notes and books on it. He seemed to be looking for something, but the information eluded his grasp.

After five minutes of waiting, they nonverbally decided it would be best not to reveal their position. By admitting they were eavesdropping, Harry could get offended and decide to avoid them. Or even stop teaching the lessons as it seemed the young instructor was already having doubts about continuing. Either reaction was something they did not want so they softly padded out of the office.

The Marauders walked back to the Gryffindor common room going over what they had just heard in their mind. They had decided to stay in the common room instead of going up to their dorm room. The energy that they would be using could be used better for understanding what the headmaster and Harry's conversation. But even as they pondered the conversation there for thirty minutes, Remus couldn't fully understand all that the two instructors had said. Were the lessons going to end? And what had Harry taught at his own school when he would have still been a student? What could Harry be wanting to do next week that would need them in the Forbidden Forest?

The next day, Remus got a hold of the Marauder's Map before could use it to find Snape in preparation of a prank. He searched the surface closely, but there was no _Harry Potter_ anywhere on it. Sometime during the night he had left the castle.

Remus only hoped the other boy would come back to continue teaching. He was learning. He was understanding.

And after the other Marauders had overheard the headmaster's and Harry's conversation, he was willing to be they were understanding and learning too.

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End of Chapter 10 – 1,545 of words

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Posted: _11 June 2007_

_Please review. I really need it this week. It's finals week!_


	12. Chapter 11

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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* * *

**

**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 11 of 20

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_He didn't know what they would have done if they hadn't stumbled upon the fact that Helga Hufflepuff was a 'Student of Merlin', one taught Merlin's words of wisdom through an apprentice-master line connecting to Merlin himself. He didn't know what they would have done if Hermione wasn't such a determined woman and excelled at clues and puzzles. He didn't know what they would have done if Merlin never dabbled with the magics of time and left a clever trail for those who desired it most to find. Without it though, he would not have the growing sense of success filling him as he circled tree after tree in the forest Hufflepuff had indicated in her journal._

_After so much pain and suffering they had endured in their training against the darkness, this was not something that would define their end._

_He will not let his best friend's sacrifice be in vain._

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Wednesday: 12 October 1977

He had been in the Forbidden Forest many times before during many of his transformations. Since Harry didn't care much about those rules, he didn't necessarily need to hide the fact, but he wasn't too keen on spilling his forest knowledge to everyone in the Dueling Club. Sirius said he shouldn't worry about it as almost every student there had snuck in the forests borders for some reason in their schooling. But as he was a prefect and therefore responsible for setting a reasonable example to the other students, he still refused. Sirius only scoffed at that and nudged James for his agreement, but it didn't come. Instead he just laughed enough so Sirius would be placated and turned back to his homework.

When Remus had found out that James had been chosen for Head Boy, Remus truly thought Dumbledore had taken some form of hallucinogen. When he found out it was decided on a vote among all of the teachers, he wondered if some mass spell of confundus was applied. Ever since the Marauders were formed early in their academic career, James had pulled off numerous pranks that he knew gave some of the teachers some new white hairs. They watched as each year Proffessor McGonagall's hair turned from a rich black color to a streaked gray color. And while he knew it was mainly due to his being a werewolf, he swore many of his own gray hairs were because of everything the Marauders had pulled off and getting off by the skin of their teeth. Some even bordering on loosing their lives.

James had truly grown up during this school year, or at least the first part of it. Even just last week he would have easily joined in Sirius' taunting and somehow come up with some prank they could execute in the process. But instead he just laughed enough so Sirius would be placated and turned back to his homework. It would take Sirius many years before he grew up, if he ever did, but Remus wasn't worried. If James had shown a high level of maturity as he had just done, there was hope for Sirius yet.

As he thought it was Harry's message during the conversation they overhead last week that transformed James thus far, Sirius would probably change as well by the end of the year. Hopefully.

It was soon time for dinner so as soon as James finished up a paragraph and Peter finished putting away the set of wizard's chess, they were on their way. All throughout dinner, students were abuzz with curiosity about what the next dueling lesson would be about. Remus had to admit, it had to be good if Harry was able to convince the headmaster to allow them into the Forbidden Forest. And as much as he knew it was foolish, he kept looking up like the other students periodically to see if dinner was finally over. Harry only sat back in his seat with an amused smile. He bet Harry was laughing at their curiosity. So he trained his eyes to his plate. He wouldn't play in Harry's game.

Sometimes he wondered if the boy would have been placed in Slytherin if sorted here. But then again his determination would place him in Hufflepuff. And his vast knowledge in spells and craving for Potions spoke of Ravenclaw. But finally his stout bravery in the face of danger spoke volumes that he would have been in Gryffindor. Maybe it was better that he wasn't sorted or else the Sorting Hat would have had much trouble with him. As much as he joked he hated the Hat for roping him in with the Marauders, he couldn't wish that on the Hat even in jest.

* * *

The moss covered forest floor provided for many trips and falls for the many students. While Remus had been in the forest many times before, he fell victim to those embarrassing trips as well. The only one who did not experience it was Harry who stepped lightly down the nonexistent path.

"I hadn't thought of bringing this subject up, but after talking with the headmaster, we figured some of you need a reality adjustment. Ah, this should be a good place to stop." They stopped in a clearing large enough to fit them all. Remus had the uneasy realization that it was a favorite clearing of Moony's when he was tame enough to be let outside. "Now we just have to wait for my friend to join us with some food."

"We just ate," a fourth year piped up, as if it would cause Harry to start their lesson.

"I know," Harry answered mysteriously, "this food isn't for you or me. In fact, if we ate some of this, we would get very sick."

They did not have to wait long before the cheerful creature appeared with slabs of raw and bloodied meat. The sight of the 'food' only made those present to increase in fear of what they would have to deal with. As the sun was falling to awake for the night, the forest was alive with sounds of those nocturnal creatures waking up. This led to many people umpping whenever a twig would snap. Harry thanked the house elf and started throwing the slabs of meat to the boundaries of the clearing. They continued to wait.

As the sun fully set on Scotland, a strong rustling started in a bush nearby and one or two of the students gasped. But Remus didn't know why they were gasping.

"Who can see them?" Harry asked gently. "Don't be afraid to say you do."

Remus suddenly wished he took Care of magical Creatures as he still didn't know what Harry was talking about. A few students raised their hands and Harry motioned for them to step forward to where the slabs of meat were now levitating by some unseen force. One third year girl, instead of walking forward as asked, stumbled backwards as quickly as she could and burst into tears.

"Momma, momma," she moaned through deep sobs.

After hard thought, Remus recognized her as Olivia Pierce of Ravenclaw. Her friends, and even some students who probably didn't even know her outside these lessons, came close to comfort her during her distress. It had hit him that her mother fell victim to one of the Death Eater attacks when Olivia was only five. For whatever reason, she had remembered her loss by whatever she had seen.

"What she sees is a group of thestrals. The look like scaled horses with wings and are considered being bad luck, but that is only due to why they appear to you. Only those who have seen death occur are able to see them."

"No, no, no, no, momma!"

"I didn't really think this would happen, but always go prepared," Harry said, before crouching down next to Olivia and forcing a piece of chocolate in her hand. "When I had to learn how to fight back against dementors, my teacher always forced me to eat some of this," he told her. "I take it you saw a Death Eater attack?"

Remus couldn't believe how inconsiderate Harry was being to Olivia in her state. If he had seen his mother be killed… he couldn't even think about it as it was so horrible, but he wouldn't want to talk about it. But to his surprise Olivia turned big watery brown eyes up to Harry and nodded.

"Momma used to be a Potion's Mistress," she chocked, "she would always work at home when Dad had to go to the Ministry. He's a clerk there." She turned back to Harry as if looking for support. He in turn handed her more chocolate, which she devoured at record speed, and offered a kind smile. "Momma heard something and forced me into a cupboard before they got the basement we were in. They wanted her to brew something for them. I can't remember what it was, but she said it was illegal, and wouldn't even consider it, even for all the money in the world. They said she could get Dad to overlook it but she still wouldn't. She still wouldn't…"

It was clear that she wouldn't finish her story, not that anyone had thought any less of her. She had braved seeing her mother murdered for something as simple as a potion. Surely that was something that someone else could have made for them.

"My cousin was up for consideration as an Unspeakable," Roger Smith said softly as Olivia started to fall asleep in her friend's arms. "Apparently a Death Eater thought he would be a good candidate for their services because he would be able to tell them everything even the Ministry didn't ask. They broke into my uncle's house and cursed my uncle when he wouldn't say where my cousin was. He was left to die but he was able to get to our house and have us warn my cousin to flee the country. My uncle died right there in our living room. Not only does my cousin have that weighing over his head, he lost his consideration as an Unspeakable, he was compromised. They never found out who had told the Death Eaters the confidential information anyways. No one is supposed to know who is going to be an unspeakable."

"You don't have to be a fighter to be killed in war. As your own peers just told you: they had lost loved ones, ones they had seen die themselves, for only doing their jobs. One only because she didn't want to do something illegal and the other for only having a family member being given a great honor. I didn't imagine the lesson would turn out like this, but I think it served the point even more than I had first planned. We should go back to the school now. But don't forget their pain, as one day it could yours or one of your loved ones as they loose you."

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End of Chapter 11 – 1,675 of words

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Posted: _13 June 2007_


	13. Chapter 12

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 12 of 20

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_The room was even damper than the Chamber of Secrets, but he continued without fear. Come any snakes full of venom, come any shadowed specters of sorrow, come giant spiders without reason, he was ready. If this would bring Ron back to them, he would face Voldemort again if he needed to. He didn't care. If this book held a way of getting Potion Master and Healer Remedius Partromi's recipe to break the Manas Curse, he would endure the slimy cave he was in._

_A slight unreasonable feeling of claustrophobia crept into him as the walls narrowed, threatening to brush their slimy surfaces against him. So many years locked in a cupboard should have eased him out of such a fear. But it could have been caused as the hallway looked so much like a tomb. The feeling gave way to hope as a small light was seen from around a bend._

_He had made it._

* * *

Wednesday: 19 October 1977

"Before I even start today's lesson, I have to lay down some ground rules. What I will be going over today is highly illegal to do, so we are not going to do any of it, only talk. In fact, get comfortable and put your wands away for now." A deep wave of groans washed over the Hall at the thought of a nonactive lesson. "I know, I know, but we don't want anyone to die or get sent to Azkaban for you to have a little bit of fun. And I hope you already know what I'm talking about."

Remus immediately knew what he was going to teach once he mentioned Azkaban but turned to see if anyone else got it. From the many vacant expressions he was seeing, he was only one of a few members of the club that died. He turned back quickly to get a read on Harry before he continued with, "Maybe it's too soon for this."

Looking around the room again, he understood what Harry meant. Along one table was all the first years who decided to brave this lesson as opposed to any other of the less harsh lessons. Scattered around the room were students from years two to four, the year when he had learned about the three Unforgivable Curses. Even at year four, he felt that he was too young to learn the about Curses and what happened when cast. But then he had to remember what Harry had said only two lessons ago when Amos gave up: the Death Eaters don't care what you lean in school. It is a brutal way to live, always paranoid to walk outside lest you get hit by a curse of destruction. It was the way they had to live. And only one year from then, they would have the safety of the castle they hid behind taken away. They would be on their own, maybe even warriors against the oppressive darkness.

To his side, he could see at least that his fellow Marauders had understood what Harry had meant, but unlike him, they wanted to be taught. They didn't even consider the younger years. To them, they wanted to know what the Death Eaters could do to them. That at least was for a good reason. He wouldn't want to be in Harry's position at that point.

"You know what? I'm going to have to go through the headmaster on that." Another series of groans, but Harry wasn't deterred. It was the right decision to make at a time like this. "At least now you could use your wands, how about that?"

He then set them to work on various spells based on grade level and magical ability. The lesson continued without any problems, but Remus decided they needed to speak with Harry after the lesson. He knew there was a large chance that one if not all of the Marauders would be fighting against the Death Eaters soon. Sirius would be targeted as soon as he graduated for walking out on his family, James for his family's ties with Dumbledore, Peter for his devotion to the two of them. And he would be targeted the moment he rejects the inevitable Death Eater invitation. At least one of them worked for the Ministry, as they had somehow come up with Ministry secrets, and would have access to his Werewolf Registry records. He wanted to be ready to fight when that moment came.

* * *

After class, Harry mysteriously disappeared like he usually did after lessons if he didn't have to direct someone to the hospital wing. Remus wished he had the Marauder's Map with him so that he could see where he went each day. But as he didn't, and by the time he got it from their dorm room it was pretty late, he decided to speak with Harry the next day. But once he remembered to look for Harry during breakfast, the four Marauders were running down the hall so that they weren't late for Defense Against the Dark Arts class. The Marauders agreed that the war for them could be approaching rather quickly and wanted to know what they should do to prepare. Hopefully the Defense class, while it was the dangerous combination of Gryffindor and Slytherins, would help them.

He couldn't believe he luck when Professor Braun stepped up to his lecture pedestal and announced today's lesson would be on the Unforgivable Curses. It seemed as if he didn't need to go to Harry or the headmaster if they would be going over it anyways. This way his peers, as the professor reported he was going to teach it to years fifth year and above as well, would be able to get the information Harry thought they should have while not teaching it to those too young. Harry probably spoke to the headmaster about it, and got Braun to teach it here.

The unusually thin –probably due to chasing pixies for years- professor stood in front of the class like a reluctant celebrity in front of reporters. He obviously preferred to be in front of a group of pixies instead of students but felt he was supposed to do it that way. So he started going on about what would happen during Death Eater battles that he never fought in. Remus really appreciated the lessons Harry provided as he at least knew what to expect due to experience. Professor Braun hadn't come anywhere close to a Death Eater as he stuck to pixies as opposed to humans.

"So who knows about the three Unforgivable Curses?" he asked once finished with his preamble. A few hands rose, but he called on Remus to answer.

"There is the Imperious, Cruciatus, and Killing Curses. They are the mind controlling, pain inducing, and killing curses, respectfully, recently used primarily by Death Eaters and Aurors. Any use of them are immediate sentence to a life in Azkaban Prison unless given prior permission by the Minister of Magic for educational purposes or by Aurors exclusively."

"Excellent, and could you tell the class ways of blocking these spells, if you know?"

"The Imperious Curse is able to be blocked by a strong or determined mind. If the caster is stronger mentally than the victim, it is even harder to block the attack. The Cruciatus Curse is unblockable. However it has been rumored that individuals with high magical power, in example Headmaster Dumbledore, would be able to tolerate the spell and questionably end the spell sooner than the caster anticipated. Victims are known to have various nerve maladies afterwards, most treatable by healing. Finally, the Killing Curse is unblockable and without a counter curse. It is considered to be quick and painless death, though no one knows for sure as victims have not become ghosts as a result to tell us."

Professor Braun seemed happy with his answer and gave Gryffindor ten points for such "a thorough answer". He then went over some other, legal curses that the Death Eaters have been known to employ during battle before directing them to practice cursing pillows for the rest of the class.

Remus didn't know how practicing the curses helped them learn why their enemies used them, but listened to the professor. He felt that by learning how to cast them, Professor Braun was encouraging to use them on other human beings, as unethical as it seemed. The professor walked the rows of the class, helping those execute the list of curses on the board.

It was foolish for them to be practicing on a pillow anyways, if they wanted something like the Jelly-Fingers Curse to work. And the Impediment Curse that Michelle Rogers was now trying to attempt would never work as the pillow wasn't moving in the first place. Without thinking about it, he cast the Blasting Curse on the pillow and watched in satisfaction while the little feathers that once were in the pillow float slowly to the ground. It wasn't until everyone else stopped working on their own spells that he realized that the Blasting Curse wasn't on the list of curses.

"Mr. Lupin!" Professor Braun called out, and scurried over to his desk, "How did you know that curse? It is not in the curriculum."

"I read about it over the summer. It was easy, really," he answered offhandedly. The other students knew him enough to know that the comment wasn't meant to put them down for not knowing it. To them, he was a Ravenclaw that was somehow in Gryffindor so it was easy to be beaten by him in classes. Only certain Slytherins glared at him for beating them in curses, something the Slytherin house has always been better at.

"Well, another ten points to Gryffindor for researching!" the professor exclaimed before a small explosion came from Peter's desk when the other boy attempted the Blasting Curse as well. As he didn't have the aim correct and extenuated the wrong syllables, the desk was the victim of the curse and the pillow fell unharmed to the floor.

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End of Chapter 12 – 1,515 of words

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Posted: _15 June 2007_

_Okay, I know it's not that great of a chapter today, but it's necessary for a future chapter. Please, please review. Finals are over, but I'm still waiting for grades, I need a job by Monday, and tomorrow is going to be the saddest day of my life: I have to move out of my dorm. These people are practically my family and I don't want to leave them._


	14. Chapter 13

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 13 of 20

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_The room was not particularly decorated. Each wall was covered by the same slime as the hallway leading to it. Only a while pedestal with a black and red treed design carved in the circular base was placed inside. Atop rested a time worn manuscript, edged with gold leaf. The cover bore the same black and red tree design upon the once pristine white background, which only weathered yellowed in certain places. It bent upward in a slight curl, but whether this was due to the damp air or long use could not be made for certain. For a thousand year old book, it held the test of time considerably well. It gave off a numinous glow which bathed the walls in a rich light, making the murky grey and green slime sparkle._

_It was easy to lift, weighing as light as a feather though it was possibly six hundred pages of thick parchment. No trap was triggered once it was lifted or when he hesitantly opened the ornamented cover. The binding created as the pages were turned in an attempt to find a spell that could turn back time to before Ron was hit by the curse._

_Numerous turns later, he had found it._

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Saturday: 22 October 1977

When he had thought that he was ready for his involvement against the Death Eaters and their Dark Lord, he didn't think it would happen so quickly. It was then that he regretted his decision not to talk to Harry or the headmaster about what he should do when contacted by the Death Eaters he wanted to fight against. Because it had hit him swiftly and without notice.

_Mr. Remus John Lupin,_

_From our sources, who are unable to reveal themselves, as you should know, my Lord has heard great deeds from you. It is said you hold a great deal of ability in the Dark Arts, specializing primarily in curses. After looking over your record, we have decided to formally offer you a place in our ranks as the Dark Lord's soldier against the impure race._

_Take your time in considering our offer. Being around Gryffindor blood traitors will make it difficult to show your real talent. Do not mistake, your mishap in house sorting shall be a beneficial occurrence in Our Lord's eyes._

_We will send an owl in one week's time for your answer as no other owl shall find us. Do not worry about this being found as anyone else will only cause the message to disappear. No one will know._

It was one of the first times he was appreciative about the near empty Great hall on this early Saturday morning. Only a few students munched on breakfast as their peers slept, and only Filch stood guard next to the High Table as the teachers were called away for a meeting. That meant no one was able to see it and then condemn him for being a werewolf, as it was bound to be found out. Why else did the Death Eater mention his record? Either way, the Death Eater who wrote it must have had a good spy to set up that delivery. Any of the teachers would easily have recognized something evil coming from the jet black owl. It made him nervous that he was being watched then that he quickly scanned the hall for anything suspicious with no luck. Before paranoia gained too much of a grip on him, he turned and ran out of the hall in search of a teacher. Once he realized again that there was no teachers due to the meeting, he cursed his luck, or lack thereof. The teachers lounge was empty so that they were either on the grounds or the headmaster's office, both of which would be difficult to get through. The grounds were far too vast to find them and he didn't know the password to the headmaster's office. So he ran to the next place he thought of.

It wasn't until he got to the door to Harry's office that he remembered that Harry hadn't been in the castle since Thursday night. With his luck he knew that the door would be locked and no one inside for him to talk to. But other than only standing there, he knocked on the door expecting to be proven a fool for even trying. That feeling started to take hold when the door opened and a tired looking Harry leaned against the doorframe.

"Sorry, were you here long?" he questioned, stiffening a yawn behind a hand. "Just got back an hour ago or so, Catching up on sleep while I could. Got a meeting with the headmaster in four hours. What did you need?"

He started second guessing his decision to go to Harry as opposed to another professor or even the Marauders. Harry was busy and it shouldn't take him too long to find Dumbledore. It was the greatest wizard alive's duty to protect his students from the darkness. But he was already there so he said simply. "I got an offer from the Dark Lord."

Harry immediately woke up to that. His eyes darkened in pain slowly closing as if not seeing him would somehow take the idea way. When he opened them moments later he quickly scouted the hallway and pulled Remus into his office. Quick wand work lit the office in a dazzling light and the chairs in front of his desk were pulled to a fireplace, looking friendly and inviting. They both claimed a seat and Harry placed his head in his hands.

"You have the letter on you now?" he asked slowly, not lifting from his hands.

Remus was about to hand it over when he remembered that anyone else would not be able to read it. If he looked at it, the words would disappear and probably not reappear for Remus again. "I do, but a charm is on it," he warned, "you can't read it."

Harry looked up to examine the closed sheet of paper with delicate fingers. After much consideration, he lifted from the paper in his hands before he summoned another and a quill. "Write the entire message here," he instructed. "Then I'll be able to read your version and no one would be the wiser. Death Eaters aren't really that smart to think of away to get around that. But makes sure you write down everything exactly; by changing even the spelling of a word you could loose a hint or hidden meaning without meaning to."

He set to work, but as it was a short note, he finished quickly. As he passed the copied not Harry asked," Why didn't you tell the other Marauder's first? I would think for something like this, they would be with you now."

"I didn't want to worry them," He answered truthfully. "I hoped to figure out a plan before they came up with their own plan to save me."

Harry laughed softly at that and started to read over the copied note.

"You did the right thing, coming here," he said softly after reading it several times. "And they are right, you do hold a knack for the curses that are taught in Defense and my lessons. Something to be proud of, but not to give them."

"I don't mean to know them," Remus ground out defensively, "it's not exactly my fault that-"

He quickly stopped himself as he realized he almost let drop that he was a dark creature. Given Harry's quick perception, he would be able to sort through the very few human-dark creature maladies and recognize him for what he was. Throughout the near two months that he had known Harry, he had grown a respect so strong that it would force him to revert back to his pre-Marauders shell if rejected by him. And to his horror, Harry was looking at him with sad understanding. Before he could watch those eyes turned to hatred, he immediately jumped from his seat and ran to the door.

Harry had called after him, but he refused to hear it. He ran quickly down the hallway without looking behind him. Stopping wasn't even to be considered, even when his sides pained from not allowing his stomach to digest before running. He continued until he reached the portrait of the Fat Lady in the Pink Dress, yelled the password, and dashed through the portal that appeared. Immediately upon entering his room, he latched onto the closest person and started stuttering about the note.

"He knows, he knows," he moaned.

James stood petrified as he looked down on Remus who was still attached to his arm. "Who knows what? Remus, snap out of it!"

The words did the trick, and Remus let go of James embarrassed. After many deep breaths, he told them about the letter (which he left behind in his flight) and what Harry had said. The other three sat perfectly still during his retelling, something never done before. But by the end of his story, they were promising to keep the other boy away if it was in their power to do so.

Once he was over, he thought over how lucky he was to have such friends. In second year, he felt he was in a dream for months when they found out about his secret and had not been afraid of him for it. They had stuck by him in the years, spreading his lies of why he was gone for the night or two, helping apply ointment over particularly deep cuts, becoming Animagi if only for the reason to be by him in his moments of pain. He didn't know how he got so lucky to get them, but while they were there, he held on tight.

As they went down to the kitchens to get some breakfast for the three who had just woke up, he felt his stomach drop. Harry could easily spread his secret to everyone and he would probably have to leave the school. No one wanted a werewolf to be taught magic, let alone with their students.

Seeing the house elf Dobby running around the kitchens only made his pain worst. He knew that Harry had cared for Dobby, and the other way around. How could he care for something that was mistreated for something they couldn't change like a house elf but not care for him? But he couldn't even consider that Harry could be like the Marauders and not care that he was a werewolf. He just wasn't that lucky.

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End of Chapter 13 – 1,554 of words

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Posted: _18 June 2007_


	15. Chapter 14

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 14 of 20

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_It had shown him how short the amount of time they had before things really turned for the worst. He had come back from Merlin's hiding tree to find that Ron was taking a turn for the worst. No longer did his best friend respond to medication, no longer did his best friend breathe on his own. If it were not for Hermione's constant attention to his needs, they would not have caught it until it was too late. A part of him did not ever want to leave his friend's side again, a part of him wanted to pass into the void as well. But at least a partially rational part of his mind warned him not to think of such things. It did not want him to think about failure._

_But as the clock slowly ticked away their precious time, that was all that he could think about._

* * *

Friday: 28 October 1977

For the next few days, Remus was never left alone unless in a class that no other Marauder was a part of, like Arithmacy. He appreciated the thought behind it, but his friends were slowly driving him crazy with their protectiveness. Their protective bubble would be easily destroyed if Harry actually told his secret to the school. But the thing was: he hadn't.

At least not yet.

It reminded him of the saying "It's not considered paranoia if they really are after you." He couldn't remember where he had first heard it, but he felt it very true in his case. Ever since he started at Hogwarts, he had to worry about the off chance that someone would be able to find out his secret. It could be simply by noticing a pattern when he left during the night, a pattern that happened every night once a month, a pattern coincidentally falling on the full moon each time. He regretted going to Harry after getting the letter from the Death Eater, not that he didn't trust Harry's decision in a time like that, but because if he didn't there could have been a chance the Harry didn't figure his secret out.

And he knew that he had.

If there was any doubt in his mind that Harry didn't know about his secret, it was shattered last Tuesday when the Gryffindor common room was filled with excitement for the next dueling club lesson. When the Marauders saw the sign, they noticed that it was for Thursday, which happened to be a full moon. He immediately told the other Marauders to go to the lesson. His mistake of letting his secret slip so much shouldn't mess with their knowledge. They would act as they usually would if Harry didn't know about the secret, he would go to the Shrieking Shack at nightfall, and they would meet up with him once the moon rose so that the wolf didn't rip his skin off his bones.

So this morning, he had woken up in the hospital wing like he usually did the morning after a full moon. The only difference was a note left to the side of his water jug saying that the lesson the night before was about useful curses they could use against an opponent again and that he didn't miss anything. He was sure that they were right, that he wouldn't have learned anything new, but he felt he shouldn't have to fear going to the lessons. Curses were his best subject and should be able to show his skill. But then that was how he got into this problem in the first place.

He had figured that someone had told their parents about his skill in the dark arts. It was with the Slytherins after all, they didn't exactly hide the fact that many of their parents were contributors in the Dark Lord's cause either directly or indirectly. They would have told their lord in hopes of somehow benefiting from the information, as that is how cunning power works, and set straight away to write the letter. That's if they hadn't already written the letter before they even told their lord. Remus wasn't exactly the expert in dark wizards, on the dark arts, so he wouldn't know how they would act.

It just infuriated him that he had to feel somehow ashamed of his skill in the dark arts. Would anyone fear him if it were Charms or Transfiguration like Sirius or James? Everyone knew Sirius was the son of a dark family, he even proclaimed it himself, yet no one figured he was anymore harmful than a prank. It wasn't as if they knew why he was good at them. He felt he had a skill at them because of the darkness in him, but didn't dwell on it. If it helped him during class, it would be considered a good thing, no matter how it happened.

Remus was grateful when he was finally released with a stern look from the healer that translated to 'don't push yourself'. But he didn't plan on getting into any trouble, any stress, any pain. He wanted only to go back to the Gryffindor tower and sleep. But as he climbed the staircases to get to his own bed, Peeves appeared out of nowhere, grabbed the traveling satchel he packed with items for a full moon, and bounded down the fifth floor hallway. Not even thinking of where he was, he followed the cursed poltergeist to retrieve his bag.

When he finally got a hold of the bag, yelling after Peeves who slammed the door shut behind him, he allowed himself to take a deep breath. But it seemed as if that day was cursed for him as well as he heard through the dusty dark:

"I didn't think Peeves wanted to get back at you Marauders so much." The lights turned on to reveal that the room Remus was now in was Harry's office. The owner of the office was sitting behind his desk, looking pleasantly as could be. "When I asked him for a quick favor in return for convincing Professor McGonagall not to lock him up for a week, he literally bounced to the occasion. But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about. I think we have some unfinished business to attend to."

Remus decided he wasn't going to have it. After his grueling full moon, where Mooney was forced to remain inside all night only aggravating him even more, he wanted just to rest. Arguing with someone who held all the cards wasn't part of that situation. So he hurried to the door.

His heart dropped when he found out that the door was locked.

"You didn't think I wouldn't learn from my mistake from last time would you?" Harry asked, teasingly. It only stabbed at his heart more knowing that the other boy was going to play with him about it.

He would be a fool to try and figure out the countercharm to the spell Harry used to seal the door, as he knew a simple "Alohomora" would not work. Taking a deep breath, he turned back to Harry to accept his fate. But instead of yelling or cursing at him, Harry only stayed in his seat, slightly amused at his reaction. "Why haven't you told everyone?" he stuttered.

"It's something I knew for quite a while, actually," he stated. "As a matter of fact, I knew back when we were both still at the Potter house in the summer. It was a strange arrangement for you to go home for the 30th of September but come back the next day, only making it harder for you. And when you got back, you were really sensitive to the sense of touch and very tired. The other Marauders wouldn't say anything, only saying that you didn't like travel, but I thought it was more than that."

"You aren't answering me," Remus ground out, not caring that aggravating Harry could only cause him to spread the secret that very second, "Why haven't you told everyone?"

"You want me to?" Harry asked with mock confusion. "Because I would think after six years of keeping it from them, you would want that streak to continue."

"I don't want you to be holding this over my head, that's why."

Harry just nodded slowly while reclining in his seat. "I know that you won't believe me when I first say this, but I'm not going to tell anyone. It is not my place to say anything, really. Maybe you don't remember this, but I had said that I have more secrets than I could tell you over a single breakfast. Well, I have more secrets than I could tell over an entire day, if not longer. And there were a couple people at my home that knew about some of them, and I was exceedingly grateful that they didn't. I think that you have some people that you trust with your secret, and I have strong suspicions that it's the Marauders, and I'm glad for you. Even during my darkest times, I had one of my closest friends by my side. It made those dark times better."

"Like the one you are here for?"

Harry immediately turned to the tables on the other wall, the ones that were even more filled with books and parchment marked with notes. His eyes darkened in sadness considerably. "Yes," he said shortly. After a few seconds of consideration he added, "I think you have some people waiting for you in Gryffindor. I have some things I need to work on."

He recognized a dismissal when he heard one but he didn't move at first. He continued to watch Harry's face to make sure that he was telling the truth about not telling. But the other boy never took his gaze off the books on the tables, so he figured he could trust him.

As he restarted his journey back up to Gryffindor Tower he reflected that it could have been much worst. He knew it would take a longer time before he fully trusted Harry with the secret, he didn't feel dread bottle up inside of him anymore. It was easier to breathe now that he didn't have to worry about it. It was easier to see the brighter things in life. He refused to think of what would happen if Harry ever broke that trust.

The Marauders were just walking out of the porthole to collect him when he reached the portrait. Remus didn't know how he got such good friends. They were clearly more tired than he was as they joined him for the night after they went to Harry's curse lesson. He didn't know how he got them, but he wasn't going to let them go for anything.

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End of Chapter 14 – 1,648 of words

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Posted: _20 June 2007_


	16. Chapter 15

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 15 of 20

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_He wanted to just jump before the battle, knock out the Death Eater before he could cast his spell and then jump back once he had enough energy to do so. And he would have if she wasn't there to slap some sense in him. No matter what he does in the past, it has already happened which means he could have died or in the very least failed. They didn't want to take that chance since they knew they couldn't change the fabric of time._

_Which meant they should instead focus on finding the reclusive healer who knew the only cure to the Manas Curse. If they went far enough back, they would be able to find Healer Remedius Partromi and ask for a copy of the cure and then go back home._

_The only problem was when they found out that Healer Remedius Partromi was only an alias, so they didn't know where he would be._

* * *

Monday: 31 October 1977 

"I figured it was a perfect day to have a dueling lesson as it holds so much importance to me," Harry started off. He looked off with slightly distant eyes and sat down on the High Table. Not at his seat, but on the actual table, something no one had seen done before. "My first year, this was when my closest friends and I became best friends. In my second, a monster was let loose and tried to attack students. In my third, a criminal –who turned out not to be a criminal- broke into the school. My fourth forced me in a year long battle I don't think I was ready for. A day of ups and downs, goods and incredible bads, but one thing –or maybe someone would consider it two- remained the same each year. Can you figure out what it was?"

Several of the students raised their hands in attempts of answer this question but he only smiled a peculiar smile and crossed his arms. A few seconds of confusion passed before the antechamber to the far right of him opened to reveal a fully grown troll wielding a club. Pandemonium soon filled the room, draining any confusion. Only pure fear of the creature remained as they attempted to go through the doors out of the hall which seemed to be locked from the outside. Some thought quickly and knocked over some of the tables to use as a barrier. Spells were directed towards the troll but nothing was working.

When hope seemed to be lost, the doors to the antechamber opened and were unblocked by the troll. Students began to run for safety in the antechamber in hope to barricade that door against the troll. When the other Marauders and other seventh years made sure all of the underclassmen were safe, they ran for safety as well. But mysteriously Remus tripped over something he couldn't see, twisting his ankle in the process, and couldn't get up.

"Remus!" James cried out when he noticed no one was behind him. "Get up! Hurry!"

Remus turned to see James only fie steps from safety, where numerous faces were peaking through in fear. But before he could say anything, the troll stomped closer to his position. The ugly thing raised his club high above his head threatening to crush Remus in seconds. Remus screamed spells, curses and charms alike in hope that they would deter the troll, without luck. Sirius, James, and Peter sprang to his rescue, each yelling spells. He could have sworn that he had used all of those spells before with no avail but this time they succeeded. And even more strange was that the troll completely disappeared soon after the spells cast were finished. Not caring about it then, the three mobile Gryffindors ran to their friend and cast healing spells on him to heal his ankle.

"What was that about?" Peter squeaked. "And what happened to Harry?"

Before they could consider the answers to those questions, screams sounded in the antechamber. Students poured out of the room to avoid whatever was in there. Someone screamed, "Sarah!" and then a series of spells and the screaming stopped. Only to start again.

Where the Slytherin tables used to be was a dark stranger wielding a knife. He gazed at the students with ghost like eyes before lunging at the closest group of students. Those further from him started to volley off spells to stop him to no avail. The stranger only turned to those opposing him with a deranged smile and continued towards a group of fourth years who were clawing at the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Sabrina!" sixth year Hufflepuff Mark Leon called out to his sister who was apart of the group. He jumped out of the group accumulating in the opposite corner and cried out, "Confundo!" And the man, even when no other spells worked, became confounded as the spell usually worked. And he disappeared. Mark ran to embrace his little sister.

The other students clumped together, eyes darting between the shadows and corners half expecting something else to come out and attack them. Sarah was mumbling about giant snakes while being surrounded by her friends for comfort. Remus could only imagine what she felt like when she was attacked by a snake. The troll was terrifying enough.

A light clapping came from a dark corner, and Harry slowly appeared before the students. With a few carefully chosen words, the tables and benches were placed back to where they usually would be and even Remus' ankle didn't even itch. Other than the memories each of the students had, it appeared that nothing had happened. "You did well," he announced. But they didn't feel that they did well. Each student was either shaking in aftershocks or were glaring towards Harry for putting them in that situation. "Granted it took a little longer than I had hoped for the troll to be defeated, but the other times were fast enough that it makes up for the first task.

"This is an exaggerated show of what Halloween meant to me. The first Halloween I spent at school, the troll got loose in some of the hallways. One of my classmates didn't know about it and ended up being cornered by it without any way of protecting herself: The only spell we knew was levitation. But my closest friend and I came and we ended up helping her and succeeded. But I assure you, it was much smaller than the one you faced, but being a first year, it looked big enough to haunt us forever. In the second year, a giant snake, as you had gone against once the troll left, was let loose in the school. It was blinded by our headmaster's familiar, and we were able to save each other from certain death when facing it ourselves. And finally our mad man. He truly wasn't as evil as he appeared here, and he didn't appear in front of everyone as he did here, but he was dangerous at the time. I figured since there was so many of you and at a much higher level of magic than my friend and I were, we should take it up a notch.

"As you could see, I wasn't a lucky person."

A light series of weak chuckles emerged from the non-terrified students. There were some who would probably never return to the dueling club because they were scarred for life. Even Remus felt angry at Harry himself for taking such drastic measures to make a point. Couldn't he just tell them the tale instead of putting them in danger? What was he getting at for even bringing up such a lesson? Did he expect everyone to hero worship him because he faced such dangers?

"But now we get into fourth year," he trailed off as if even the thought robbed him of his confidence in front of his class. "The year everything changed… You are actually quite lucky, though you think it's a curse. While war rages outside, you are protected in this castle. While people die daily whether or not they are rightfully fighting or innocently by standing, you are taught things like turning people's hair different colors or levitating feathers. While families are ripped apart by one man's insanity, most of you have not been touched by fate's cruel hand. It is something your parents feel is not ready for your ears, in hopes that you will be able to handle that innocence even a little longer. And I know that most of you hate that they don't tell you, it's proven that you are here today. In my fourth year, I was introduced to my country's isolated war head on. And I never been the same.

"So how did you like your little glimpse of how war looks? Not very pretty, is it? It's not the idealistic picture of a grand warrior going out to slay the evil. Many times, your opponent is another human being as you are, one that is just misguided and does not necessarily need to die. Many times, your opponent isn't a logically thinking human like the obstacles I brought today. What do you do when that comes up?"

"Why didn't our regular spells work?" a fourth year Ravenclaw called out. Looking around, Remus could see that many people had let go of their anger and were starting to understand, as he was.

"Oh yes, the main lesson of today's meeting. Why, indeed. Does anyone remember what I asked right before the tasks began?" Harry's face split in a large smile and a fire lit in his eyes as he looked around the hall. "What was there each year even when it was bad? And I'll give you a hint: It was the only reason you were able to defeat these tasks."

Silence fell upon the hall as everyone considered his hint with the tasks and story behind them. He didn't catch who said it, not that it even matter as many people probably came up with the answer as well, but the silence was broken with: "Helping each other even during the hard times."

Harry nodded somberly and walked out the room without a look behind him. "Yes: friendship. Will you be able to bond during the harsh realities of war?"

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End of Chapter 15 – 1,565 of words

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Posted: _22 June 2007_

_I'm so sorry! I didn't notice until I got to work that I hadn't posted yet, and to make me feel worst, I had a computer but no way of getting to the file to post!_


	17. Chapter 16

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 16 of 20

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_All luck seemed to leave them as they searched desperately for the identity of Remedius Partromi outside the Potions Master certificate and Order of Merlin Second Class. Not even a mention of whether he attended Hogwarts was anywhere to be found. It had seemed as if he had appeared out of no where, coming from some life he did not want and succeeded in created a new one. One that was very extravagant and successful. One that seemed to mock at their search._

_They were not even able to search for someone who had apparently disappeared as records were lost or misreported during the pain of the war. Any small tidbit of information alluded to some possible identity, only for them to be sourly mistaken in allowing their hopes to be raised that high._

_It seemed as if they would have to go to the past and find his identity then. They only hoped they had enough time to find Partromi then._

* * *

Saturday: 5 November 1977

There was much excitement running through the castle as they made ready for the first Quidditch match of the year. Each team had trained hard for the past two months of the school year, and were ready to show off their stuff. To make things worst, the first match was Gryffindor versus Slytherin. Anyone who had even heard of Hogwarts had heard of the main house rivalry.

The hallways were a dangerous place to be for who Gryffindor considered their Quidditch stars, James Potter and Sirius Black. James had been the star player since he started in third year. While he could have started in second year, he had to admit being a reserve chaser during second year instead of playing against mostly seventh year players was a good thing. The other players didn't have sympathy for the underclassman and actually knocked him out soon into his first game. Since that happened, Sirius learned how to play the beater position to help his best buddy survive the dangerous game. Before the Black family felt it was below their blood station to play Quidditch which only encouraged him to play more. Come fourth year, both were starting players and earned a name for themselves. But they needed protection from the underhanded tricks that were up the Slytherin's sleeves.

Legs always seemed to be in the way oh-so-innocently. A misdirected spell became common place and for some reason redirected towards them. The Gryffindor House always "took one for the team" and most often needed a quick bandage or a trip to Madam Prophrey for something or other. They just laughed off the enlarging earlobes that needed to be shrunk, the lime green hair that grew to the floor, the singing toenails. Each time they just shrugged it off saying, "Very first year." The Slytherins would be very tempted to send a curse their way for such talk. The Gryffindors took it in stride.

Remus wasn't really in the mindset for Quidditch. Instead, as the preparations were continuing several stories below, his mind drifted to the dueling lesson on Halloween. Remus and the other Marauders remained with the students in the Great Hall long after the instructor left. The room didn't loose the sense of security it usually gave off as he had thought would happen. Either that secure feeling was given off with magic, or that it was felt after learning one more way of protecting yourself, Remus did not know. All he knew is that it remained the same and he wouldn't have any problems with the room or what Harry taught that night. Looking around the room, he saw that many others were coming with the same conclusions.

Many of them were actually looking forward to the next lesson, from the sound of things.

Harry was not to be seen since he walked out of the Great Hall on Halloween night when they figured out the hint about the lesson. They checked after every class on the Marauder's Map for his name and on the message boards for dueling lesson announcements. Every time the headmaster rose from his seat, they half expected for them to announce that Harry had been kicked out of the school premises for such a lesson. But nothing came from it.

Remus gave a start as it was the star of his thoughts that sat down next to him, asking casually, "So when does it start?"

"Harry!" he cried out, "we were worried that you were kicked out because of Halloween. James was so worried that his parents have been getting an owl a day with questions, but they didn't know anything about it and said to go to the headmaster. But Sirius was convinced that he kicked you out himself so he didn't want to even go near him. Where were you?"

"Nothing sinister. Where are they anyways?"

Remus found it curious that Harry didn't immediately divulge where he was for the past four days since Halloween. He knew the other boy had many secrets, even more so since the last lesson. The lesson that gave so many questions with so little questions. As much as the young instructor assured that everything was just an allusion, the fear inside him due to the troll was very much real. Had Harry really faced such a thing? And then with the giant snake and that man?

He remembered Harry's speech at the beginning of the lesson, how in his first year Halloween was when he became really close with his friends back home, he supposed that was when they faced the troll. And the second year was the snake that had attacked Sarah, the monster that was let loose in his school. The mad man was as it sounds, the madman of his third year. But what does that mean the fourth year Halloween battle was?

"Where are the other Marauders?" Harry repeated. Remus gave a start and immediately answered:

"Both James and Sirius play, Chaser and Beater respectfully, and Peter always help everyone get ready for games in the locker room. He says it makes him feel as if he's out in the field with them, though he's afraid of heights. It'll be the first time in many moons that someone has joined me."

"Many moons, eh?" Harry asked teasingly. Remus felt his stomach drop to dangerous levels. Was he just laughing about his choice of words? That they were a bit medieval or did it mean that Harry was suspecting him? And if he did, how could he come up with those inklings after being here for only three full moons? But before he could dwell deeper in the problem, Harry continued, "I had things I had to do and needed to leave the castle to do so. How did you know I wasn't in the castle? I could have just been hiding in my office and no one would have been the wiser."

He was awful tempted to tell him about the Marauder's Map, and how they had checked and didn't see a _Harry Potter_ anywhere on its surface, but held back. As much as it would please him to surprise Harry after the other boy continued to surprise him he was sure that they other Marauders wouldn't enjoy in his short happiness. But once looking into Harry's face as he turned to watch the preparations of the match, he was given the feeling that Harry knew all about it without him saying anything. It was a very subtle change, but his lip quirked up slightly to the right and a smoldering fire lit in his eyes. It was Harry's expression of knowing.

"We have our ways."

"I'm sure you do," Harry answered just as mysteriously, not turning back to the young werewolf. "No, the headmaster didn't have me booted out. On the contrary, he was quite impressed with the initiative that I took on it. Going so far as to bring up past evils," he trailed off. He leaned forward to rest his arms on the guardrail in front of them, and then set his chin upon them. "I was gone because I need to get some things."

"To help that one friend you keep talking about?" Remus guessed, watching close to Harry's face which often spoke more than Harry did. He didn't betray any emotion, only nodded.

"I'm getting close, only a few things need to be put into place…" he trailed off again. No amount of soft prodding from Remus could get him to open up to him about what preparations were taking place or why. He remained silent, watching the field below with an expression of deep contemplation. "Digging up my friendship with them, when they could be…" he shook his head again. "I only wonder if I shouldn't have brought them up. That I didn't get the message across. That the lesson had been in vain."

"But so many people have been closer because of if," Remus argued. It was true, many people have solved frivolous arguments or petty rivalries even in the short time of four days. He was curious still about the friends he had left behind in America, the ones he held so dear. But he knew not to prod. No amount of prodding would get something out of Harry that Harry didn't want to be said. He knew from experience.

"I don't think everyone got the message. Or if they did, how much longer will it take for the message to be erased?"

He didn't know how to answer that and chose to remain silent. Far below the Gryffindor team came out to inspect the weather and little Peter followed closely behind. He couldn't think of anyone who was more dedicated to Sirius and James as Peter was. Ever since second year, that boy stuck to them like glue. Any shortcomings he had were easily overlooked due to his devotion.

It was just a little peculiar how Harry watched the rat animagus from the seat next to him with a haunted gaze.

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End of Chapter 16 – 1,507 of words

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Posted: _25 June 2007_


	18. Chapter 17

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 17 of 20

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_It would have been a good idea for both of them to go as he had the power to bring them there and she had the study skills to find the identity of Master Healer Remedius Partromi but only one of them could go. Merlin's book was very specific about how much power it would take for one person to break through time's boundary for even one day. It was why time turners only went back hours at a time and true divination was so rare. He would have to go alone after he had been accompanied for so long. But he knew if Hermione went instead – though she was incredibly powerful in her own right – the power needed for the spell would drain her very life from her._

_If he had to take the journey alone in order to save the two people who meant more than the world to him, he would._

* * *

Saturday: 19 November 1977

Instead of meeting in the Great Hall, the usual flyer instructed the students to meet on the school grounds near the lake. The Marauders made sure to get there early in hopes of seeing what Harry had busied himself over the past two weeks. Rumors had it that during his exploits outside the castle, he had picked up a dementor for these mock trials. Remus thought it was an absurd notion as they hadn't gone over dementors in these lessons and would not have any way of defending themselves against one, let alone defeat one.

When they got to the spot indicated, they noticed the closed off portion of the grounds were guarded by the house elf Dobby. They tried to speak with the small creature but he only answered that "Harry Potter has trusted Dobby with this task" and that "Dobby will do that!" Being raised as a muggle, he didn't have much contact with house elves but he figured the little elf was completely devoted to the one that had set him free.

Soon the area was filled by the regular students of the club as well as those who had stopped attending the first month. The excitement of a secret practical lesson seemed to cause some to brave their fears and attend.

"I figure you are more than ready to try some of what you learned in some fast paced exercises," he joked, while walking up to the crowd. "But instead of scare some of you away, we seemed to have gained a few more faces. But heed my warning: while this lesson does not stem on the last few lessons, you will find some of this difficult if you haven't been regularly attending. That being said, I hope you are ready for a rather fun experience, that is if you like Defense as much as I do."

This earned a round of chuckles. Throughout the three months he had been teaching this class, his students had realized that no one, not even all of their Defense teachers combined, enjoyed Defense as much as Harry did. The boy had an impressive knack for it as well as dueling.

"Now, I decided to set up a small obstacle course for you to go through. Okay, maybe it's not that small."

Saying that this maze was not small would be almost an understatement. The door was in a ten meters wide and fifteen feet long enclosed room. No scratch or nook from the outside betrayed how much of the building was designated for the maze, or if there were additional rooms. In addition, no sound was heard from the inside so there was no indication on what type of creatures they would have to face. The only thing they knew was that there was a single door leading out of the building on the furthest wall. Anything else would have to be found out from inside.

"Each student is expected to move around the maze separately, but that does not mean you can't help someone out in a time of need. You are to separate immediately afterwards." He leveled them with a look that nonverbally told them that he would know if they didn't follow his directions. "There will be a door labeled for each year. Find your door and instructions will be there for your next task. Once I figure enough students have found their door, Dobby will allow the next year inside. As each year enters, the tasks will get harder so they are at the appropriate level. If anyone gets into trouble, send up red sparks and you will be pulled from the maze. Any questions? Then let's get started." And he entered the room without another word.

After a few seconds, the third years were directed to enter the maze, and good luck, by the little elf. The others were forced to wait outside in the cold.

He now understood why Harry had decided to have the lesson on a Saturday as opposed to any other day of the week right after dinner. If they tried this on one of those days, they would have wasted the day away. They waited patiently as the very few third years entered the room. Those Harry had stated that the maze shouldn't take them that long, it was still ten minutes before Dobby announced in his squeaky voice "four year!" Another ten minutes passed before fifth years were allowed in, but by then, there would have been a lot of people in the building, especially if there were rooms for each year as Harry had alluded to.

Soon after the last fifth year straggler entered through the doorway, a line of third years came from the other side of the building. Those sixth and seventh years who knew one of the third years called out to the youngsters without an answer back. The young students only shook their heads and hurried to the castle's front entrance. Those still outside thought it odd, but didn't know what could have caused it. Could they have sworn not to say anything to them?

The seventh years actually cheered when they were finally allowed into the building. By then, it was getting warm enough for them to want to take off their jackets but the November air was still too cold that they didn't want to. The building proved to be warm enough that they all shed their outer coats and quickly wrapped them around their stomachs for safekeeping. It would have been preferable to be able set their coats somewhere else, but there was nowhere to place them. The only thing that was in the entry way was a sign with _"Do not hurt the creatures in here. Disabling them shall suffice."_

Remus quickly followed Harry's instructions to break away from the other students and wandered down one of the corridors leading off of the entry room. Nothing popped out at him automatically, but he had the distinct feeling that he was being watched. He made sure to keep his awareness open to that feeling so if whatever was watching him didn't have the upper hand.

Even after rounding a corner and fighting off a group of pixies didn't lure whatever was watching him out of its hiding place. With each corner he turned, he made sure to check for anything in the upper corners of the hallway for anything that could be hiding above and creating the feeling. But he didn't see anything.

He finally figured that the lurking feeling was only a spell of Harry's that was created so that they didn't just partner up and work the maze together. With that in mind, he dropped his guard and continued the maze. It was then, that it struck.

Though only a baby, the acromantula that dropped down in front of him had rather large fangs and threatening looking long legs. During his lessons in Defense class and while helping Peter in his Care of Magical Creatures Class' homework, Remus knew that an acromantula was able of human speech. Hoping that Harry directed this spider not to hurt him, he tried to speak with it. Apparently this spider was too young to speak to him and only got angered by his attempts. Web shot out of in an attempt to cover Remus in its sticky goop and eliminate him from the maze. But a quick fire spell burned the web and successfully stunned the spider so that he could get past.

Not long after his encounter with the acromantula, Remus encountered something that looked like a winged lizard with only two legs and an elongated body. After racking his brain over the creature, he remembered something about them in Peter's homework about them and that they were called an occamy. This occamy was currently wrapped around a post on the right side of the hallway. He figured he could get passed the snakelike creature as it was more interested in eating the rat in its mouth, but given its long neck, the occamy could jab at him as he passed.

When he tried, it did so and completely blocked his way through the corridor. Any attempt of going below or above the head was in vain as it was quick enough to counter his attempts. But as he looked closely in the corridor ahead, determining if it was worth it, he found an outline of a room just four meters from his position. It would be worth trying another way.

"Um, hello?" he said stupidly to the snake. He didn't know why, but he figured he could at least give talking to it a try. The occamy looked at him with surprisingly intelligent eyes so he continued. "I want to go in there," he indicated the door so close to him, "but I have to get passed you to get there."

The occamy continued to stare at him for a long time while Remus held his breath. It then slowly unraveled from around the post and fluttered directly in front of him. It was then that he remembered that occamy were considered a level four creature in the ministry's ratings of dangerous creatures and considered to run from while he could. But instead of attacking him, it turned around and fluttered down the corridor, poking his head at the door labeled _Seventh Year_. When he passed it, it poked its head under his hand in an attempt to be petted. Remus figured he could give the creature some of its time before it fluttered back to its perch.

He then turned to the door, his hand hovering above the doorknob.

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End of Chapter 17 – 1,610 of words

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Posted: _27 June 2007_


	19. Chapter 18

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 18 of 20

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_They had set the date to be in mid 1977 as it seemed to be the time Healer Remedius Partromi was actually known even during his cloak of mystery. However, they had to be quick about their mission as one glaring issue came into the picture: Remedius Partromi had died 21 December 1977during a Death Eater attack on his home. It had irony unique to this situation as he was killed by those who put them in that position in the first place. As the spell did not indicate what month the person would land, they were dancing with fate. Any earlier than January and he may end up staying there without a clue as inklings of Partromi had not started appearing until late March. Any later than November and he had the chance of not having enough time of learning the identity before he died._

_It was a dance with fate, a dance they planned on leading._

* * *

Saturday: 19 November 1977

He didn't know how long he was standing there before the door for the seventh years. It must have been a while as the occamy that had just finished walked, or in its case flew, the last few steps to the door turned to look at him with a confused expression. He had never seen a confused expression on a snake before, but he definitely knew it when he saw it.

Laughing at his unheard of fear of the door, he quickly entered and closed the door behind him. The room was a soft neutral color with many seats for anyone who needed to wait on each side of the room. In front of him was a white sign hovering in the air with the instructions.

_Seventh Years_

_Congratulations on making it to this point. Please take a number and stay in this room. Once your number appears in the mirror, go through the white door which will take you down a flight of stairs and through a corridor underground. On the other side you will find another door for you to go through. Please close the door once you go through. Further instructions shall be on in the next room._

_Wish you the best of luck on the next task. For your time remaining in this room, I shall give you something to dwell on:_

_To live with fear and not be afraid is the final test of maturity_

_- Edward Weeks_

_How has this course helped you conquer your fears? What do you think would help you if you haven't already?_

He quickly grabbed a number from a bright orange contraption he remembered seeing in meat markets or ice-cream shops in the muggle world. It was a small, white piece of paper that had 101 clearly printed across it's surface.

Being the first of the seventh years to enter this room, he didn't have to wait long before he was allowed through the white door and through the underground cave. It was a very short walk to the other side, but during his time in the corridor, he started to dwell not on the inspirational quote Harry had provided in the instructions in the previous room, but of what resided in the room he was walking towards. When a room appeared around a bend, he had forgotten that this room was underground and ignored the other smaller passages that led into the corridor which could be from other year's rooms. All he could think was what could be behind that door.

He opened the door slowly to reveal a darkened room. With the limited light that seeped through while the door was opened, he was able to see only an outline of a door on the other side and a strange shaped box in the corner. Closing the door behind him, he waited in the dark. But he didn't have to wait long.

Before he knew it, the room lit up with a dazzling light coming from a silvery orb floating in the sky. If he didn't know better, this room being below ground and it not being possible to be passed 4pm by then, he would have thought that a window opened up and showed him the full moon. It felt anticlimactic for him to easily think of a funny thing to change it too, call out "Riddikulus", and wait for the Boggart to retreat in his misshapen box. The door on the other side opened to reveal an enthusiastic Harry.

"That was lame," he said jokingly to the instructor.

Harry only rolled his eyes. "Well some boggarts won't work in certain conditions, but for most people, it's worked perfectly. You could either stay here and wait for the others, or you could go to the Great Hall. But I would suggest you go to the Great Hall, Dobby got you some butterbeer to celebrate. I figure unless he set aside some for you seventh years, it could be disappearing quickly."

He joined the younger years who were already laughing about their experiences in the maze each with a bottle of butterbeer in their hand or in front of them. It seemed as if he was truly one of the few that had a boggart that was easily recognizable as being a fake. Everyone had seemed happy enough with their try at the maze that it was easy to tell what they saw there. Even those who had an embarrassing experience with the boggart were telling the event blow by blow to the amusement of their audience.

It truly was a happy time for each of them.

He didn't have to wait until he was joined by James, and then Sirius, and finally Peter. They quickly divulged what happened to each of them in the maze. Apparently Sirius had to go through the occamy as well but had the gall to try to pull the snake's meal from its mouth. He had figured that if he threw the rat down the opposite side of the hall, it would follow it and he would be able to go passed it. The occamy did as he had predicted, but was fast enough to grab its meal and then chase after Sirius for five minutes while James and other seventh years were able to get passed him and through their door.

When he told them of his encounter with the occamy, they didn't believe him at first. But considering that Remus had no reason to lie to them, they laughed as the imagined the look on Remus' face when it slid off the perch. His telling of the boggart got an even better reaction as James hit him in the arm crying out, "no fair! I kept trying to figure out how to get the Bowtruckle to leave me alone! It kept pulling off my shoes and trying to peal off my toenails!"

This created another bout of laughter by not only the Marauders but the surrounding peers who easily overheard what James was complaining about. Remus couldn't even imagine James running around the small room as the small tree-dweller chased him with a shoe in his hands. Thinking of the twin blades of sharp fingers on each hand the Bowtruckle would have had made him wince. He certainly wouldn't want his toenails to be pealed off in such a way.

"Congratulations one and all," Harry cried out as soon as the last seventh year scurried into the Great Hall. "Not only did no one fail the maze, but the creatures inside are accounted for and safely on their way back to their respective homes. I believe the only one that will need a lot of time to recover would be the boggart each of you battled. Let's just say that it was easy to force it back into its box by the time the last person got through with it.

"Now I'm sorry if I caused anyone to have any problems due to this experience, though as I look over you now, you don't seem to have any problem with it. I couldn't help but try this out as so many teachers had used the trick on me and my peers. At the end of my first year my friends and I had to go through a seven chamber course. My third year Defense the Dark Arts final was very similar to this course, it's where I got the boggart idea from. But it was my fourth year that I got the maze idea from. I didn't have half the amount of fun as you apparently did in my attempt of the giant maze, though.

"For being so good during this lesson, I'm happy to announce that there will not be a lesson next week. I will be gone until Wednesday and I figured having one so close to the Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw match would not be very much appreciated."

He only laughed softly as some Gryffindors and the few Slytherins who came to class argued that it was too close before their game. James and Sirius were heard over these complaints the loudest. "Hey, it's not my fault that your game was right after my most important day! Enjoy your butterbeer, and expect another lesson at the end of the month. Probably on the 29th or 30th."

With that, he turned and walked from the Great Hall, Dobby following close behind. As he watched the instructor walk out of the hall, Remus could only wonder what he was going to do next week. And if he was following the same traditions as the other lessons, Harry would be out of the castle before Remus would have the chance to find out. He would just have to wait and see when Harry came back.

He then thought back to the maze. Harry had said that when each year walked into the maze, it would add more challenges for that year to compete against that should be their level. Either Harry had couldn't come up with anymore challenges for the seventh years, he had run into all of the easy lower level challenges, or he had truly learned during these lessons as well as his other classes. Listening in on the last patches of conversation in the Great Hall before students started wandering off to enjoy the rest of their Saturday, he figured it would have to be the last thought. Those who had attended all of Harry's lessons had finished the maze and boggart much quicker than those who hadn't attended.

After only three months of lessons, Harry was already making a noticeable difference.

* * *

End of Chapter 18 - 1,503 of words

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Posted: _29 June 2007_


	20. Chapter 19

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 19 of 20

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_Before he was going to leave, he wanted to get an identity he could use while he was there. He wouldn't be able to choose when he got there, not the day, month, or time- only year. He wouldn't be able to choose where he was placed either, only the country. He knew he would look the same as usual and even though he cut his hair short and started taking contacts, he still bore the Potter family resemblance. Therefore he was looking through the Potter Family Book in an attempt to loose resemblance to his family while he was there. He would have to change his knees, his cheekbones, even his hands if he wanted to loose all resemblance of Potter males. It was if they had preformed some cloning spell so they all looked the same._

_As he began to loose hope and decide to just use Polyjuice or something, he found the greatest of coincidences. "Oh, what are the chances?"_

_Things were looking up._

* * *

Monday: 12 December 1977

When he had the time, and since he was partnered with Peter that was quite a lot, Remus would turn to his young instructor. There were many times that Harry looked just like any other teenage that it was easy to see he was only a year older. However there were times like these that that young visage was suppressed by an older soul residing in his body. If the eyes are the window of the soul, Harry was a very old man –at times even older then Professor Dumbledore. Throughout these lessons his has noticed that Harry had seen and been through almost everything and was ready to take anything on when the situation arose. It almost made him honored to be in his class, to have some of his knowledge, learn from the mistakes (as he never claimed or pretended to be perfect).

Today the other boy was leaning against the High Table, watching his students go through the paces. Usually he would wander the floor, fixing stances, reiterating pronunciation, or just offering praise, but for some reason he stayed away today. Ever since he had gotten back from whatever he was doing after the maze lesson, Harry had been a little off. During the Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw game, he was tightlipped with whatever he did, dedicating his attention solely on the game. But once the game was done he had mysteriously retreated to his office. As the Marauders had a rather difficult essay due the following Monday in Transfiguration, they didn't argue about the strange behavior. But when they were essay free they attempted to speak with the recluse only for him to be busy studying volumes upon volumes of potions books.

The next lesson had happened on Wednesday the thirtieth, though it seemed rather week compared to the maze lesson. Harry had set them up to be working on proper dueling techniques as he figured the Dueling Club should actually duel once or twice. He looked a little more like himself as he wasn't hovering over books in the near darkness. But even then, his smiles seemed to be a bit strained. Whatever he was studying didn't seem to be going over very well.

The following lesson had been squeezed in after dinner last Thursday night. He had apparently planned the lesson before he found out that the second, fourth, and seventh years had an exam the following day in either Potions or Transfiguration. While he probably had a chance of convincing Professor Slughorn in changing the date, as he wants Harry in the Slug Club, no one had the ability to change Professor McGonagall's test. Probably not even the headmaster or the Dark Lord. Combined.

Harry tried to make due with the preoccupied teens that showed up anyway but ended up canceling class a half hour into it. He said it was because they needed to study and that they would resume it on Monday. Some complained that it was worth it, but the Marauders held back their own complaints. The older boy had dark circles under his eyes and desperately needed the sleep. They hoped he was taking the time off to get some sleep as it didn't seem as if he was sleeping much already. At least now, he seemed to be happier.

"I have a feeling all of you have a good handle on today's lesson," Harry started.

Remus could feel his disappointed start to invade his mind, he could just see Harry canceling the meeting today as well. While they were only practicing sending charms to each other, it felt as if they were actually doing something that would matter in their life. It was okay to miss one or two lessons, but it would possibly put the students on a lax system by cutting two short. But right before he was going to raise his hand to suggest that they continue and Harry rest if he needed it, Harry continued:

"Line up against that wall. We are going to start on actual duels. And I will need one volunteer."

Remus immediately volunteered himself and was easily picked as only three people were brave enough to raise their hands as well, and they had already been picked in previous lessons. Harry had cast a complicated series of spells that moved the house tables together, therefore creating a platform covered with a hard surface to walk on, but if applied too much pressure as would happen if someone fell, it cushioned the impact. He indicated with his hand for Remus to join him on the tables.

"Now that I have my victim," Remus gulped at the wording, "we shall begin. As we went over earlier, we bow. Very good. During a battle with dark wizards, they won't exactly wait for you to bow, instead will start firing spells the minute you are in range. But it is a good thing to learn just in case you are apart of a duel between each other or in the off case you get a dueling fanatic as your opponent in battle. It has happened. And now we begin with the duel."

Remus automatically started casting his most complicated spells in hopes that Harry hadn't heard of some of them therefore not knowing how to block them. Harry however only put up a rather strong _Protego_ shield that made his spells ricochet off its surface. He knew that Harry had more experience and therefore probably had a higher magical maturity, so he stopped firing any spell that could be blocked by a simple shield as his.

"_Formido!_" he yelled. The surrounding audience were probably confused when nothing came out of Remus' wand, but he knew it had worked. If cast correctly, directly at the person you want to infect, the victim would experience their worst fear. He stepped back to wait for the spell to complete it's minute time period that it infected the victim's mind. It would give him enough time to take a breather, but the moment he took his eyes off Harry his robes were on fire.

Once he was able to get the fire out of his robes, he looked up to see a wand pointed directly at his face and his wand ripped from his stunned hands. He had lost. He couldn't believe his spell didn't work.

"You truly are terrifying when you start throwing curses," Harry smiled, "but remember, just because you excel in them, doesn't mean that your opponent will be affect as you wanted."

"How didn't it work?" he stuttered. He had known this curse for four years and had always worked before.

"The spell Remus had used," Harry answered, addressing the class as well, "was one to bring forward the victims worst fear for them to see in their mind. Anyone who falls under its spell should make sure to understand that it is only in their head. While it only takes a minute before it wears off, it does not have any counter-spell. If you remember that it just your imagination, you should be able to see through the illusion and still be able to use your wand. I would like everyone to remain in line and one by one you will be allowed onto the platform to battle my shade." He motioned to a black mist that had accumulated on the other side of the platform. "It will be able to fight back just like in a regular duel. Have fun!"

As Harry had said, each person was given a chance to fight the shade. Once the shade was able to disarm you (as the shade was practically all-powerful) the next student would have their chance. Harry seemed to be quite proud of his students and even extended the lesson so everyone was allowed another chance if they wanted. But even that happy lesson had to end soon and the Marauders decided to stay behind and talk.

"I had lived my worst fears and was still expected to fight," Harry said, startling them, "that is why I was able to fight while under your spell so quickly."

"I don't think you have ever stayed after class before, Harry," Sirius joked, "not that I mind or anything!"

"Yeah, well, I needed to say something before I left today," he answered with a sad smile. "You all are going home for the winter holidays? Well, I'll be gone until probably Friday or Saturday but I'll go with you on the way back. It was fun riding to Hogwarts in September, so it should be just as much fun going back."

"You haven't been taking the train back and forth?" Peter asked with wide eyes.

"No, primarily apparition, but by Floo Network when I can't avoid it. I hate the floo."

"Me too!" James exclaimed.

And before they knew it, they were in deep conversation about transportation, classes and just life in general. Harry seemed to be in a much better mood than the preceding weeks but wouldn't say anything other than that his task there was almost complete. It took him a while, but Remus remembered that Harry had come to Hogwarts for a reason and had never thought to teach these lessons. He didn't know whether to be amazed that the older boy had such a knack for teaching or annoyed that he didn't know the true reason Harry was there. After a little thought, he figured he should stick with the former. After all, they would see each other during the winter holidays as they always met up at some point or another. And he could try to weasel out the information then.

So he let his mid forget about all worry he had about anything he didn't know about his surroundings. He didn't know how long it had been since he had the time to just relax and chat with friends. Harry deserved to take his break as well as when he wasn't teaching them dueling, he was traveling the world in search of something. They all deserved to just be teenagers for once before they were forced back to the harsh cold world.

* * *

End of Chapter 19 – 1,689 of words

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Posted: _2 July 2007_


	21. Chapter 20

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Chapter 20 of 20

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_He could feel the ceremony engulf him with magic even when the first word was spoken. It whispered in his ear sweat murmurs of power he could have if he took it. But his mind erased any sense of doubt, and lingering will to end the spell. He was determined to see it through and bring his friend back to the land of the living. He would battle in the Final _ _Battle__ once more if it meant he had the chance to make things right. _

_The veil of time appeared before him and he felt the magic slowly leave him, leaving him weaker than even the Final _ _Battle__ had. It would take all that he had, and then some, to pierce the veil and head back into times he was not meant to see. But he was willing to give it all up for the one currently lying in the hospital wing, unable to fight for himself. _

_He was willing to do anything. _

* * *

Saturday: 17 December 1977 

The chilled air wrapped its thin tendrils around the four Marauders as they waited outside the Hogsmeade Train Station. It would leave for the London Station at eleven o'clock sharp as it had each year previously, and though it was only eight minutes before the train would leave, they were still outside. The cold was not felt, only the anxiety building in their stomachs as the seconds slowly passed. They were waiting as patiently as possible, given the circumstances which was exceedingly unusual.

As the five minutes warning was given off in the station, Remus decided to take the initiative and get up. That bell also announced to his mind that they had been sitting like that for twenty-five minutes. Small ice crystals formed in their hair and eyebrows, snowflakes melted slowly and traced their faces. They had been there for too long. He grabbed each Marauder's unresponsive hands and lifted them to their feat without a word. It wasn't until he started directing them towards the station entrance that James resisted.

"He's not here yet." He continued staring out at the empty snow covered street, not seeing Remus when he shook his head. "We can't go yet."

"I'm sure he's already in London waiting for us. He didn't really say _where_ he would meet up with us. And if he's here I'm sure he has other ways of getting to London on his own." It took a little more prodding, but he finally got the other three Marauders in the train station and into seats. The train was filled with bubbly excitement that they didn't feel. It was filled with joyous chatter that they did not join. To them, they couldn't come up with a reason to be happy. For some unexpected, unexplained reason, they felt something truly wrong and happened to him, something incredibly wrong.

It had been five days since the last lesson, and no one had seen or heard from Harry since.

* * *

The travel wasn't strenuous, but they would be happy to leave the train in London to renew the wait for Harry. Students of all ages were darting back and forth in the hallways in joyous celebration of the holidays. But they didn't partake in their joy. 

It wasn't until an owl started tapping angrily at their window that they brightened. It was a letter from Harry.

_This probably won't get to you guys for a long time. I'm really far away from the castle now and I figure this owl is too old for deliveries and will take many stops. As long as it gets sent and received, it'll be fine._

_I won't be there at the train station today, but remember, I'll be there when you need me. Hopefully I have drilled in your head enough of me that during trouble, you'll know exactly what to do. Not that I think you'll be attacked anytime soon, but it is always better to be ready for it._

_So you know: I have completed my task._

_Love,_

_Harry_

_I didn't think I would ever write "Love, Harry" to anyone other than family. But then again, you have become my closest family these five months._

When they finally pulled into London Train Station, they were in better spirits. They didn't know if it was the Hogsmeade Station or London Station that he wouldn't be able to meet them at. It just said 'station'. So they quickly gazed above the many students who rushed to meet their family.

He was not to be seen. But what they did see added to their troubled felling: Mr. Potter looked shell-shocked while Mrs. Potter sobbed over a Daily Prophet newspaper. James immediately ran to comfort his mother and the newspaper dropped from her hands.

Remus stooped to pick up the paper when he froze seeing the headlines: _Breaking News: Family Found Dead in Home. _And there was a cheerful picture of a clearly Potter father, a beautiful mother, and Harry sitting between them. With a deep breath, he lifted it to read. Soon James, Sirius, and Peter crowded behind him to read as well.

_The nation mourns the deaths of the family of Christopher Evan Potter, native Britain pictured to the right. Potter and his wife, Cynthia, were found in their home in Connecticut, America last Tuesday by Muggles._

"_The Muggles who found the deceased reported that no one had entered or left the house for seven months and believed abandoned," American Ministry official, Emanuel Sanchez reports. "No one entered the house during that time. We have suspicion that the deceased were under the Findilus Charm which is why no one was able to see the Potters in the house."_

_A follow up interview with the Ministry reports that the Potters, including their seventeen year old son, were hidden in this fashion. But the question was where the Potter's son, Harold Christopher Potter, was during this time and escaped death. And why the charm is now broken when it was still reportedly in effect for five months._

_In a journal Cynthia Potter had kept during her time in isolation she writes that young Harold was sent to the Ministry of Magic with a note to be then sent to someone from her husband's family. However, Harold never made it to the American Ministry._

_He was found a day after his parent in Virginia, near a suspected meeting place of Followers of Lord Avarite, killed by a single Killing Curse. The estimated time of death was the same time as the Findilus Charm on the Potter's home. Cynthia's journal does not mention whether they made their son the secret keeper which is why they sent him away, but it is being investigated that it is so. But where was the boy during this time?_

_Early this morning, the family of Samuel and Rebecca Potter were told of Samuel's cousin's death as well as the other family of the deceased. They state that Harold had apparated to their home on the evening of 24__th__ of July. After fire calling his parents to tell them where he was, he was in their care for a week. Headmaster Dumbledore then employed him as Dueling Instructor due to his experience fighting by his parent's side._

_This is where contradictory information is found. American officials report that the Followers of Lord Avarite claim they had young Harold during this time. _

_What is known is that Harold was last seen at Hogwarts on Monday, 12 December 1977 teaching a lesson to a group of students attending the Dueling Club. After the club, he was seen speaking with a few students and then walking back to his office. The next time seen was in Virginia with Lord Avarite's message:_

Here is the brat you love so much. Let it be known that I, Lord Avarite, have broken him to giving us the ones he protects. Everyone breaks. To those who oppose us, you are next.

_For more information about Avarite and his cause in America, please turn to page 4._

_The Daily Prophet expresses their deepest condolences to the family. We have lost a caring family and a strong pair of fighters for the side of Light. A memorial will take place in Salem, Massachusetts where young Harold attended school and the American Ministry of Magic where Christopher and Cynthia Potter worked alongside in their battle against the Dark Lord Avarite. Dates and times will be posted as soon as the Daily Prophet has them along with how to attend. _

It just couldn't be true; they just got a letter from him. But as James' parents were still sobbing, they must have been shown proof that their young charge was killed less than a week ago. Remus quickly grabbed the letter Sirius had gripped in his hand to read over again.

_This probably won't get to you guys for a long time. I'm really far away from the castle now…_

This could have been written after he got to America and realized he wouldn't be able to get back to London in time. Was he captured by the American dark wizards already and was allowed to send one last note, or had he sent it right before?

_Hopefully I have drilled in your head enough of me that during trouble, you'll know exactly what to do… _

It sounded like he knew that he wouldn't be back to see them for a long time, if at ever. He felt sick to his stomach as he finished the note again.

… _you have become my closest family these five months._

* * *

It was hard watching them clean out Harry's office. He didn't know why he even came to watch, maybe just for a sense of closure. James and his parents went to the momorials in Harry and his own parent's honors. Remus wished he could go as well, but it was a very selective audience and his mother wouldn't allow him to go cross seas anyways. This was his own memorial for the boy who had done so much for them. Even when he spent so short a time with them, he had touched so many lives. Intrahouse relationships were much stronger, even some interhouse relationships blossomed. But most of all, they were ready for their upcoming participation in the war. 

They knew their abilities and limitations. They knew their expectations and surprises. They knew their strengths and weaknesses. Maybe that was brought by Harry, but he opened their eyes.

As the house elves started taking Harry's stuff out, he entered the office for one last time. He wished Harry was happy wherever he was, he at least was able to die knowing he had finished his task as morbid as it sounded. At long last, almost everything was taken out of the room except some furniture and a book left open that Remus had started playing with. It was a journal, but as it wasn't in Harry's scrawl he didn't care much. Who cared about some guy named Remedius Partromi and some Manas Potion, anyway?

* * *

_(To Be Continued in Epilogue)_

End of Chapter 20 – 1,677 of words

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Posted: _4 July 2007_

_Wait for the epilogue! Friday will sadly the last installment. Thank you everyone who has lasted with me so long. Until Friday:_

_Happy Fourth of July!_


	22. Epilogue

Note: Please look to prologue for disclaimer and additional notes about the story.

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**A Dance With Fate**

_Canopus Carina_

Epilogue

* * *

Back home, where he belonged, Harry watched the many people pace around Hogwart's reinstated Hospital Wing for the students who had started to enter for education. But there was one patient he had extra concern for. 

Madame Pomphry said his potion would take a few days to finally heal, so he took a seat next to Hermione and watched over Ron's sleeping form.

Teachers passed by, readying for the classes soon to start. It had been two years since the Great Hall was open, two years since the teachers were able to teach. They were battle hardened now, few in smiles and kind words. But they would teach as they had before. One day at a time.

"Where had you gone?" Hermione asked softly.

If he had not trained long to stop such reactions, he would have jumped as Hermione was seemingly asleep. But he just shook his head once his friend opened her eyes to see. He couldn't say yet, maybe even never. For one year he had seen, lived with his family and they could never know. He could have told them what would have happened but he had learned during his third year that no one could change the future. Something would have to happen to right the flow of time, and that's if they believed him in the first place. Or even what would be worst would be if he said something, which put the flow into motion. He would hate to be the reason why his parents were killed even though he knew it had to happen.

He gave Ron's hand and Hermione's shoulder each a quick squeeze as he rose. Remus was back for the upcoming school year, and he had a few questions to ask. The office was pretty much the same as it had been in third year. But it didn't feel as if it were four years since the room beloved to the werewolf Marauder. Magical moving pictures lined his desk of the good old days and the happier days of the present. He was looking for a specific photo that would prove that he actually went to his own time dimension. It would prove he caused some happiness to a cursed group. The cursed group of this universe's past.

He came to it at last, the only photo he took in the past, the only proof he even existed in that time. If he didn't change his hair length and facial features, Remus would have recognized the connection between the boy of the past and the boy of the present. They looked real similar, but no more than he did with his father. And he wore contacts so that connection could not be made.

"We took that in our seventh year at Hogwarts. Our graduating Gryffindor class."

"Who is he?" Harry asked, pointing to himself. "I thought it was only the Marauders who took up the Gryffindor boy's dorm."

Remus looked at the picture for a long time before speaking. "He was a cousin of James. You were named after him, you know. His parents had gone into hiding and started to stay with your father's family soon after. He wasn't a Gryffindor though… he didn't even attend Hogwarts. Apparently he graduated from some other school before hand. He helped train students for the war that we were about to enter for ourselves. Without his guidance, we most surely would have died sooner."

"What happened to him? Why don't I know him now?" He felt like he was laying it on thick, but he needed to make sure Remus thought he didn't know anything about the Harry of the past.

"He felt he needed to find this certain potion because a friend needed it for some reason. He never told us what it was, just that he needed to get out of Hogwarts for various lengths of time. But his family was fighting a war in America, where he was from and was captured when he went back to visit them, I suppose. He fought back, but he didn't survive. We never saw him again." Remus took a deep breath to calm himself down but took a smile and continued, "It wasn't much later that youre parents got together. When you were born, James thought it would be proper to name you in his honor. You look so much like him."

So he pretty much named himself. Why he didn't come up with a cooler name than Harry, he would never know. It was probably just fate. He quickly changed the subject, as Remus really seemed to dwell on his supposed death. If he thought about it too much, he might have come up with a couple connections that might blow his small cover. And if Remus thinks about one death, he might start dwelling on the others from the Final Battle and before. School plans were a much easier road to go down.

It wasn't long before he was able to leave the office to continue on his random path around the castle. His plan had gone through perfectly. Everyone thought he had gotten caught as his the newspapers said about the other Harry, and the Americans believed he was blown to smithereens. A harsh reality, but it sparked citizens to fight these monsters with every matter of their being. Interesting that multiple adult deaths just spread panic but no action and a seemingly innocent teenager's death creates a large-scale revolt. They would never know he was really the savior of the future, never would see him and think of the Hogwart's guest. And he needed it that way.

Dobby was determined to keep what happened in the past their little secret. The elf was overjoyed to be in charge of something so important and didn't even mention he knew something no one else did. He was settled in Harry's new home, as he could no longer bear living in a place that reminded him of Sirius and Albus and couldn't be happier.

So there was no risk of the truth coming out into the open, as all who knew were either dead or completely silent. The potion needing to save patients of the Manas Curse was written down with an obscurity charm anonymously to St. Mungos to treat others and publish the cure. The book he found to take him back into the past was placed back in its original place to stay hidden until it was needed once again. He couldn't bear to destroy it as there could be others like him who would need it for honorable reasons.

So Merlin's Book of Mysteries remained in its shadowy tomb waiting for someone to stumble upon it. Ron recovered after a few days and demanded answers. But Harry did not tell them about the book. Their adventures were done, as sad as it seemed. It was time to release their hold on the adventures for the coming generation of troublemakers. And they would be ready for them.

* * *

_The End_

End of Epilogue – 1,169 of words

* * *

_If it wasn't clear enough, there was a Harry in the past that lived in America but was captured before our favorite Harry went to the past. In chapter 19 in the snippet in the beginning, Harry is looking over the Potter Family Book and notices that someone else was named Harry living in America. So after he does some research, he decides it's the perfect name to go under. Sadly, other Harry dies._

_Thank you everyone who has kept with me the entire time. I needed to complete this before the final book comes out. I'm so excited, aren't you? I know it was kind of short, especially when I wanted it way longer when I started it. But then I wouldn't have enough time to update it all, or write it with the percision that I want it in. If book seven allows some of it to remain in canon, I may write a new timetravel fic like this one. How do you think about that?_

_Everyone that reviewed, I owe a great bout of graditude. It really is a writer's life blood. Thank you again._

Posted: _6 July 2007_


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